Genesis: A Second Chance
by The Akuren Princess
Summary: Four Years After The Regeneration and Reunification of the worlds, where are our heroes now? Has Kratos Returned from his Self-Imposed Imprisionment on Derris-Kharlan? What of Mithos, Yuan, Botta, Martel, Anna, and Zelos? When a new person is dropped (literally) into the lives of our heroes, how do they affect everyone who's lives they've touched? READ TO FIND OUT!
1. Chapter I: Reminiscence of Regeneration

**_AN_****_:_** This fan-fiction takes place in **multiple **character point of views, **_AFTER_** the reunification and regeneration of the worlds. **Several** characters have been reborn due to the regeneration, however memories have been submerged and it will take an** event** or a **reference by someone** they are acquainted with, to jog their memories as to who they really were before their deaths, and regeneration.

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**_Pairings are as follows: _**

**Aurion Kratos x OC**

**Sage Raine x Bryant Regal (Raigal?)**

**Sage Genis x Combatir Presea (Gesea)**

**Aurion-Irving Lloyd x Brunel Colette (Colloyd or Lloydette)**

**Fujibayashi Sheena x Wilder Zelos (Shelos)**

**Ka-Fai Yuan x Yggdrasill Martel (Martan?)**

Characters **will** most definitely be **OOC** _(out of character),_ with the _exception_of _Zelos._

There will be **HEAVY** references to Kratos's love for Anna his late wife; however this is a Kratos x OC fan-fiction. I love Kranna but I really am a Kratos fangal and I refuse to write a fiction for Kranna before I write one with my original character falling for the hot four-thousand year old Seraph, whom has been my favorite character in the **GAME**, and the **OVA(Original Video Animation)** I am also a Kraine fangal, but I have yet to write a Kranna, and a Kraine centric fan-fiction, again please refer to my reasoning above.

**AURION KRATOS** (in the beginning), **KA-FAI** **YUAN **(in the beginning), AND **YGGDRASILL MITHOS **(in the beginning), **WILL BE UNABLE** TO **SHED TEARS**, **TASTE**, OR **FEEL HOT OR COLD**, JUST AS **COLETTE WAS** **UNABLE **TO **DURING HER TRANSFORMATION INTO AN ANGEL**. THIS HOWEVER **DOES NOT MEAN** THAT HE **CANNOT** FEEL **JEALOUS** OR **ENVY** FOR WHAT OTHERS HAD/HAVE, OR WHAT HE FEARS OTHERS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THEM, **REGRET,** **PAIN**, **SADNESS**, AND **FEELINGS OF LOVE** FOR OTHERS!

There will be **MAJOR **Dirk bashing on the part of **Kratos,** **you have been warned…**

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**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, ARIGATOU** – The Akuren Princess

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**The Akuren Princess:** "Hey Lloyden, you are Lloyden right? Anyway, will you do the disclaimer for me?"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** "Yeah, that's me…But who are you to ask for my name?"

**The Akuren Princess:** "Give me your name and I'll give you mine" *mimics his pose he uses at the Martel Temple when he first "meets" his father*

**Aurion-Irving Lloyd:** *stares in disbelief…*

**Brunel Colette:** *not realizing Lloyd is shocked speechless due to the fact that someone knows his trademark line and the exact pose he used four years ago that fateful day*: "Lloyd c'mon it'll be fun" *smiling*

**Aurion-Irving Lloyd:** "…"

**Brunel Colette:** "Dwarven Vow Number 2: Never abandon someone in need!"

**Irving Dirk:** "That's m'ah Boy! Oh, never mind…"

**Aurion Kratos:** (to him-self, all while glaring the "Kratos-Death-Glare-Of-Doom-And-Gloom") "He is **NOT**, and **WILL NEVER** be yours, Irving Dirk the Dwarf…if I Aurion-Kratos-Ancient-Hero-Of-The-Kharlan-War, Original-Companion-To-Yggdrasil-Mithos, Ka-Fai-Yuan,-Yggdrasil-Martel, Four-Thousand-Year-Old-Seraph,-Angel-Of-Death,- Blood-Father-Of-AURION-Lloyden, has **ANYTHING **to say about it!"*snarls the ending*)

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** …"Dad! How can you think that Colette is me?!"

This question causes both "Dad's" head whips around and stare at their son, questioning his over-all stupidity levels and whether there was a brain under that head of wild hair.

**Aurion Kratos:** (Again to him-self) "I would never mistake Miss Brunel for you my son", all the while burning a hole in the unsuspecting head of his son's adoptive father with his best Angel-Of-Death-Glare.

**Before **Dirk can respond to his adoptive son's question in disbelief….

**Out of nowhere...**

**Brunel Colette:** Our Weapons Are **"LOVE!"**

**Sage Genis:** **"JUSTICE!"**

**Aurion Kratos:** *holding his forehead in the palm of his hand, running his fingers through his messy bangs(looking hot the whole time) and sighing out the words **"…ugh…hope…"** quietly but not so quiet that Lloyden could not hear them with his Angelic hearing.

**Aurion-Irving Lloyd:** *Begins to slowly back away from his friends* thinking that they are imposters, getting his father to be a part of that saying…he allows the crazy thought that his own father is an imposter.

**Aurion Kratos:** "Aurion Lloyden! Get over here now!" *catches the tail of one of swords sheaths and yanks his son to him so his back is pressed against his chest, an arm wrapped around his sons chest and his mouth dangerously close to his ear *whispering in Lloyden's ear with deadly intent, his voice dropping so low it could freeze Efreet's Lair, and give Celsius a run for her Money as the overall ruler over the Ice Element, and causing one Aurion Lloyden to ultimately freeze and listen to his father's ice cold warning* "If you do not do this Lloyden, then be prepared to "blame your fate"…this one, (looks over at the "innocent" authoress)…is even too much for a 4000 year old Seraph of Cruxis to handle…."

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** *eyes bulging out of his head and teeth chattering*: "The Akuren Princess, Airen **DOESN'T OWN **Tales of Symphonia, however her own OC Akuren Airen is hers and hers alone"

**The Akuren Princess:** "Why thank you Lloyden, now we can continue on with this fan-fiction."

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** "Hey, no one but dad can call me that!"

**Aurion Kratos:** _"Aurion Lloyden!"_

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** …*gulps* (thinking to himself) _'I'm in trouble now…'_

**The Akuren Princess:** "Thank You Mr. Aurion" *(bows next to him blushing the whole time)*

**Aurion Kratos:** *looks up from the book that he just started to get into* "You're welcome Miss Akuren" *reaches up and pulls Airen down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her and nestles his face into the crook of her neck gently kissing it before going back to his book, reading over her shoulder*

**Aurion-Irving Lloyd:** *looks at his father and his new arch-nemesis all cuddly with each other, then sees his father plant a kiss on the back of her bare neck* eyes bulging out of his head again as he stares on in horrified disbelief, then proceeds in the act of passing out and hitting the floor with a thud*

**Aurion Kratos & The Akuren Princess:** *ignores Lloyden, going back to enjoying each other's company and the book they have started to read together*

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**Genesis: A second Chance**

**Chapter I: Reminiscence of Regeneration**

**Kratos POV: (His and Lloyd's house)**

_**Italics**** = Reminiscence**_

_**'Thinking'**_

_**"Talking"**_

_I remember it as if it happened yesterday. My only son, Aurion-Irving-Lloyden, praying to the goddess Martel, my former companion of four thousand years ago, and unleashing the power bestowed upon him by Origin, my former summon spirit pact, and the Material Blade his other father Dirk forged in his home after I'd gathered the necessary ingredients for the blades to be forged, while I deceived him and his companions, forcing them to believe whole heartidly that I was a traitor, something that I was not proud of at all. He prayed for the regeneration of the world, and the reunification of the world as well as anyone who was innocent, and didn't deserve to die during the reign of terror another former companion of mine Mithos Yggdrasill carried out to full term._

_I couldn't be more proud of him; he turned out alright with a Dwarf for a surrogate father in my absence, and without his mother to guide him. Lloyd stood for everything I believed in whole heartidly, and wanted to be and do but was too scared, too much of a coward to do anything about it. I sent up a silent prayer to Martel that my late wife and mother to our son Lloyd, Aurion Anna would be reborn after the reunification and regeneration of the worlds, but only time would tell if my wish was to be granted._

_After everything was all said and done, Mithos Yggdrasill, Martel Yggdrasill, Botta, and that loud-mouthed-good- for-nothing chosen Zelos Wilder were revived in the area we were in. My beloved Anna, my other half, and mother to my only son was not among them, stinging the already gaping wound in my heart which was slowly sinking to my stomach with salt._

_My eyes must have said it all, because my son laid an exsphere laden hand on my shoulder. Silent tears were glistening their way down his face, his whole frame shaking and it being conveyed through his hand on my shoulder. In that moment my cold outer emotionless exterior was shattered. I pulled my son into my arms, holding his shaking frame to my chest, resting my chin on the curve of his neck and shoulder where the two conjoined. I brought my hand to the back of his head still keeping the other wrapped firmly around his back, pressing his shaking form against me so he wouldn't collapse._

_"Dad, why didn't she come back?" he whispered into my ear, and even though it was a ghost of a whisper, broken by sobs that wracked his frame, the question was loud, drowning out all that surrounded us, clearly received by myself, where it then proceeded to echo around my soul, forever to remain trapped within._

_The memory of that night will forever haunt my waking and sleeping hours. I never was able to answer my son's question. As the seconds ticked by, his hands remained locked in my tunic, scrunching it within his fists and as he stood there shaking, gripping it so tightly his knuckles were white with the force he was exerting, that I was sure of._

_I could feel the wet, warm tears as they fell from his face to be forever embedded in my soul. I prayed for Anna to rest in eternal peacefulness, and for her to finally find and to be granted the riches in life and love that could only be found in the after-life, that she deserved, and that I had never been able to provide and would never be able to, all because she was gone from this life and I was the one to blame…_

I to this day have not been able to forgive myself for the atrocities that I have committed against both my late wife and my son. 'Forgive me Anna, Lloyd I was so stupid...'

"Oh…wait you're still here? Forgive me for allowing such a moment of self-pity to lead you off track from my memories and recalling that day so, without further interruption please let me continue on."

_As I held onto my son, running my hand down the back of his head to calm and soothe him, a flash of blue assaulted my peripheral vision. Yuan, fresh from coming out of shock after the revival of his right hand man in his organization known to the now reunited world as the Renegades, Botta, assaulted Martel Yggdrasill, his one and true love for the past four thousand years of his extended Seraph life, within a bone shattering hug._

_As far as Botta's revival and entrance into our newly regenerated world that day, yes, the same Botta who died in Rodyle's ranch that day, and the same Martel Yggdrasill who was struck down that fateful day by the same disease that Miss Brunel Colette, former chosen of regeneration on the Sylverant side, and current fiancé to my son Aurion-Irving Lloyd._

_I figured the water must have preserved his body and seeing as it was a sealed room, the progress of his body's decay would have been much slower than if it were exposed to air. Martel Yggdrasill's body was preserved in the great seed, and protected and cared for by her younger brother Mithos Yggdrasill, my former boss, so her body was perfectly preserved by the mana. She was still as beautiful as she always was; perfect and not even four thousand years had changed anything about Yggdrasill  
_

_Anna, my wife was and will always be beautiful in my memories; however, she was laid to rest in the ground where her body decayed and was covered by stone shortly after her burial, forming a beautiful resting place where the weather could not ravage her. 'Anna, my beloved, I'll love you till the end of time, be at peace.'_

_I am truly sorry, Anna was and will always be a huge part of my life, so please don't hold my random tangents on how much I still love my late wife against me, for they are a part of me. Now I'll continue on with my memories of that day of regeneration and unification of the two worlds of Sylverant and Tethe'alla, into the world we now live on called Symphonia._

_As Yuan engulfed Martel in his embrace, I could see them over Lloyd's head, he had nuzzled his face into the crook of her shoulder, his body wrapped around her in a protective stance. _

_A blur of blonde rushed across my line of vision then, followed by a blue being thrown away, which I had assumed to be one Yuan Ka-Fai. My assumptions were right, because said blue blur had been thrown rather harshly into the rock face behind us. _

_Mithos Yggdrasill, had thrown Yuan Ka-Fai off his beloved sister in his older form, and then reverted back to his fourteen year old form and buried his face in her abdomen sobbing._

_I suspected that Mithos would never age; being an angel, but the older form of him-self remained, which he used to shove Yuan off of his sister with, so I guess he will be keeping it around. I just pray that twisted ambition of "Glory to the Coming Age of Half-Elves" did not get revived as well._

_I glanced down at my son, whose body had stopped its tremors, but his hands still gripped my tunic, clinging to the material and my body for dear-life. I allowed it, because the reality of the situation was: I did not want to lose one more moment with my precious son. I'd already put him through so much, and now with the regeneration and reunification of the world complete, I had the time to be there for him, as a father, friend, and protector, to guide his life as he entered a new chapter, someone to talk when no one else would listen. _

_That was the ultimate gift the goddess had given me, a second chance at the start of a new life without all the oppression we were all under before this fateful day occurred._

_I changed my gaze's direction, to where the loud-mouthed-good-for-nothing-chosen, Zelos Wilder had been returned to life. The young Mizuho chief, Fujibayashi Sheena had assaulted him, tackling him to the ground and embracing the knucklehead. After a heart-felt reunion and embrace, she turned and pummeled him into the ground. Her reasoning was easy to see, the idiot had maneuvered his hand down her waist from where it resided earlier, down to the curve of her hip, slowly sliding over the curve of her-…I turned away at that point, content on listening to the lovers spat, rather enjoying the idiot being pummeled._

_I then turned my attention to the other couples that had united or reunited. In the background I could hear "Sheena, my voluptuous hunny, why…", the former chosen dazed and quite confused, even though the reason for his pummeling should I repeat should have been apparent and anyone looking on, or listening on like myself, knew. I half chuckled, it coming out as a strangled noise._

_A weird expression crossed my sons face before it was replaced with that idiotic cluelessness that I had come to love. His big, brown eyes asking the question, even though he hadn't spoken it, it glimmered in his eyes. "Zelos, being Zelos, Lloyden, that is all you need to know" He smiled a genuine smile and went back to embracing me, burying his head in my chest, gripping my tunic as to never let me go or escape. I returned my gaze back to Mr. Sage and his love Miss Combatir._

_Sage Genis, Lloyd's young half-elf mage best- friend, younger sibling to one Miss Sage Raine, was hugging one Miss Combatir Presea will all he had in him. I am sure even though she had returned to her normal age of 28, she remained trapped in the body of a child, and she equally liked him and I believe it would be good for the young mage, because she was a bit more mature than any of the girls her size._

_The other half of the Sage Family, Raine, was comfortably in the arms of the ex-convict, Bryant Regal's arms. A smile plastering her face, a smile that hadn't been seen since the days when we discovered a ruin or an artifact buried and thought lost to this world for all of time. She looked beautiful and I couldn't help but feel a pang of Envy run through my body at the happiness the other man was bathing in, before I could contain it._

_I, Aurion Kratos, one of the four Seraphs, original companions of Mithos, Martel and Yuan, was utterly alone. All that remained of my family was my son, Lloyd, and he and I had a crucial part of our hearts ripped out and I feared for my son more than I feared for myself. His mother was only in his life for one short period of time, and we as a family only had a short period of time before it was all ripped away and the three of us separated._

_Four-thousand years could not prepare me in any way, shape, or form for the even that would turn my world inside out and brutally murder the person I was. A horrifying, A heart-stopping, heart-wrenching moment, my hand was forced to make a decision I never would have forced my worst enemy to have to make._

_Those choices:_

**_Either brutally end the existence of the one I loved more than anything in this life with my own hands._**

_Or._

**_Lose both my son and my wife._**

_There was no median choice; there never was when I so desperately needed one to be thrust into the chaos of a situation. I couldn't save both Anna and Lloyd and I had to make a decision that would break me with either of those decisions. Even when I knew what my heart screamed at me to do was what couldn't be done, my mind raced to find an alternative ending to this chaos that I'd been the genesis of, both the protagonist and antagonist in, and therefore, because of my inability to save both of them, I lost my ability to fight back, and my reasons for existing._

_I chose the first option, and it had to be the most agonized choice of my entire life, even deceiving my own son from the time of our meeting till the unsealing of Origin's seal was easier than that choice. In the chaos of the moments, both preceding and following the event, my son was lost, Noishe along with him, down the cliffs that surrounded Iselia's human ranch, That one choice shattered, murdered, utterly annihilated who I was, and turned me into the perfect pawn for one Mithos Yggdrasill to control and force to do his bidding, because I had lost the will to live, and I hated myself. Now, I have a reason to continue on living, my emotions returned to me, my son returned to me, and Anna's love to guide both of us as we took on the world together._

_Sylverant's former chosen Miss Brunel Colette stood alone on the cliffs, staring out at the stars that littered the now rapidly darkening sky. I whispered my son a few words of reassurance, gently loosening him from my form. His tears had stopped some time ago, and with his new found confidence I watched him join her on the cliffs._

_My attention returned to Martel Yggdrasill, and Ka-Fai Yuan. Mithos was screaming at the top of his lungs at Yuan to get off his sister even though he knew full-well that they were engaged before her untimely death, and now that she was reborn, the same held true. I could see and hear that Martel scolded Mithos for his behavior towards her fiancé and his elder, and Botta waiting for a moment of clear air to speak to the leader of the Renegades and his friend. Yuan seemed to notice this and turned to him, the two walking off after a quick kiss delivered to Martel from Yuan. The two found a quiet area, exchanged words and then the two former and current Renegade leaders shook hands._

_Yuan, my best and closest friend for the last four thousand years had Martel back, the love of his former and current life, and his right hand. The guy was finally smiling and happy, which he deserved, after my betrayal to Cruxis and my eloping with Anna….Yuan was severely beaten by Mithos day in and day out, for my betrayal. Mithos had no clue Yuan led the renegades at that point in time, and I am still one hundred percent sure that if he ever had figured out that the mutiny and opposition he faced was bred internally within Cruxis, Yuan would have died the moment Mithos had gotten out of his shock of learning the cold hard truth and feeling the sting of betrayal._

_My mind once again drifted to Anna, why was I being punished, why the hell was I so unlucky when it came to love… She was the one I prayed for the most to be returned, sadly was not, and now I feared that I would never find love again. Fate however, had its own unique plan for me…_

I snapped out of my memories, Lloyden, my son, snapping his fingers in-front of my glazed-over eyes, caused by my self-imposed stupor. "Dad, are you alright?" his voice full of worry, as were his eyes. I nodded yes to his question then turned my gaze out on the horizon.

It had been four long years since that event passed and was recorded in the record books of the newly formed world. Lloyd's twenty-one now, hard to believe that he's gotten that old since I first met him that fateful day at the Temple of Martel. He is now engaged to Brunel Colette, and happily in love, I just pray that there isn't a grandchild anywhere in the near future, one Lloyden and one Colette is enough of a hassle to control, and I can't imagine how their children would turn out, what side of the blood line they would inherit more, Brunel or Aurion. I sighed at the thoughts invading my mind, a headache setting in, my muscles tensing, and my mind overloaded with the possibilities of the two blood lines fusing within my own grandchild….

Someday I'd find the one meant to help fill the void Anna's death had left in my chest, but I'd never allow anyone so close as to replace my one and true love, Aurion Anna. Whoever I was to love in the future, would have to be special to be able to pierce my cage of ice that surrounded my being, to take my heart that belonged to her. That would never happen I was sure.

'Anna, I love you, till death do us part and there-after.' No I would never tarnish her memory by falling in love, and moving on, is what I thought. I was dead wrong, as fate was about to prove to me, by shoving me face first, unprepared, and reluctant as hell into the next events in my life that would leave me begging for more of what fate had to offer…

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**Airen's Point of View: Earth**

I lay in bed, it was hot, humid and because of the two combined conditions, thunderstorms ravished my residential area of Earth where I lived. I was unable to sleep thanks to the uncomfortable condition imposed in my house. I had to be to work in seven hours, and I'd already wasted one and a half laying here unable to sleep. Enough was enough, my body refused to relax so I turned my T.V. on mute, plugged in my Nintendo Wii System, and putting in my favorite game Tales of Symphonia.

After the opening trailer finished rolling, and I had regained control of my salivary glands, did I start a new journey of Regeneration. Loading on my previously beaten game, I bought upgrades in the grade shop and then started on my new journey of world regeneration. I had arrived at the Martel Temple and my little group had met the purple-clad, mercenary with messy auburn locks, and the piercing, tortured, cinnamon eyes that had seen much death and the right hand Angel-Of-Death, former companion to Yggdrasill Mithos, Yggdrasill Martel, and Ka-Fai Yuan, and whom had played a role in the destruction of the worlds, (that I had come to love as I started the game back in 2004), known as Aurion Kratos when lightning struck the house, frying my T.V., Wii, and game disc.

I swore, not caring that I had woken anyone, if I had woken anyone up at all in the process. My **favorite** game, Tales of Symphonia, which I'd, had, cherished, loved, laughed, and cried along to with my favorite characters since that day I bought it in 2004 was **FRIED!**

Moments later another strike and I had not since let go of the controller from my earlier outburst of anger. I was electrocuted, my hands firmly gripping my controller, because my muscles were locked by the bouts of electricity running through me, as black invaded the edges of my vision, and I fought to stay conscious. A far off voice muffled so much I couldn't make out what they were saying called out to me just as I fell unconscious moments later, still holding onto the controller…

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**The Akuren Princess:** Martel, that took forever… sorry to leave you all at a Cliff-Hanger **:p** Please comments, questions, concerns and feedback are welcomed, below you'll find and ending much like the opening. **ENJOY!**

**The Akuren Princess**: "Kratos, your son is still on the floor passed out, and he cannot stay there all night, he'll catch cold."

**Irving Dirk:** "I'll get e'im, he's mah boy anyway"*moves to pick up the sleeping form of Lloyden*

**Aurion Kratos:** "Dirk if you touch my son, I'll rip your arms off and feed them to Noishe…"

**Irving Dirk:** *sweats and thinks better of his action, his arms are his work after all* Dirk retreats back to his house, his heart left pounding in his chest after the verbal threat that Kratos delivered to him in the same Icy voice as he confronted Lloyden with about the authoress * "why does that guy hate me so much?"

**Aurion Kratos**:*returning to the conversation left before Dirk entered it* "He can stay there, but I am sure Miss Brunel is waiting on him to go to bed. *Taps Lloyden on the shoulder* "get up Lloyden, Miss Brunel is ready to depart to the land of dreams…"

Lloyden doesn't move…

**The Akuren Princess:** "Figures…I bet if I kick him he'd get up*smiles*"

**Aurion Kratos:** "That will not be necessary Miss Akuren. Violence does not solve anything" (to him-self)* 'what the hell did I say that for?, I've spent the last four-thousand of my years using violence to solve everything…*)' "I have no choice then" *gently picks up his sons limp body and cradles him to his chest, ascending the stairs without the use of his wings and carries the sleeping adult to his room.*Miss Brunel following with a quick good night to the authoress.*Glancing over his shoulder at the authoress sitting in the chair they occupied together earlier to read the book* "I will be down shortly to pick up where we left off in the book." Locking eyes with one Miss Akuren, after getting her response, nods to her and carries his log of a son up the stairs, not that it's any trouble to him, Lloyd could be 500 pounds and Kratos wouldn't feel a thing or care, his son is his son and he would go to the ends of the earth for him.

**The Akuren Princess:** "Sleep well Colette" *smiles at the former Chosen* "I'll be waiting for your return Kratos" *holds up the book, using her fingers to mark the page's they left off on* (Thinking to herself) 'This story seems…familiar…I wonder if I've read it before?' Anyway **PLEASE REVIEW! **ARIGATOU!


	2. Chapter II: Fated Meeting

**Th****e Akuren Princess:**** Since there has been 100 hits on this story since I first posted it, and I am a little, oh wait I am a lot bummed you guys havn't reviewed at all, Ill post this second chapter to this story, Ill most likely post a new chapter ever 50~100 hits on the newest chapter...that is...if my readers...REVIEW!**

**P****LEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! ITS CRUCIAL TO US AUTHORS TO KNOW WHAT YOURE THINKING, WITHOUT THEM, HOW ARE WE TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, OR HOW WE CAN IMPROVE! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**

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**_Italics_ caps _DAD = Aurion Kratos_**

**Unitalics lowercase dad = Irving Dirk**

**There will be MAJOR Dirk bashing on the part of Aurion Kratos.**

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**Chapter II: Fated Meeting**

**The Akuren Princess:** Miss Brunel, will you do the disclaimer this go around?

**Brunel Colette:** Of course *smiles warmly at the authoress*

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** "**NO**! Colette don't! She's **EVIL**" *glares at the authoress*

**Aurion Kratos:** "Lloyden, what have I told you about your tongue?" *glancing at his son*

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** *looking down at the floor speaking in a soft voice and refusing to meet his fathers or the authoresses gaze* "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all"

**Aurion Kratos:** *nods* "That's right my son, now what do you say to Miss Akuren?"

**Aurion Irving Lloyden**: "…"

**Aurion Kratos:** "Lloyden, you know I am only trying to teach you life lessons so you do not follow down my dark path, right in my footsteps, now please if you will, apologize to Miss Akuren"

**Irving Dirk:** "T'ere be no need for tat, I've taut eim all he needs to know bout life lessons"

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** "All right dad!" "See, I was taught them by "dad" * he uses air quote s around Dirk's head*, because you *points at a horrified Kratos* were not there to teach me yourself, I grew up fine" *smirking at Kratos's defeated look*

**Irving Dirk:** "at's mai boy!"

**Aurion Kratos:** *seething* Dirk, if you teach my son anything more of your preposterous ways, taking your arms off your body and feeding them to Noishe will be the least of your worries" *turns the full power of the "Kratos-Death-Glare-Of-Doom-And-Gloom" on the Dwarf bestowing them with his presence.* *Turning on his own son* "Apologize to Miss Akuren now Lloyden…or help me Martel I will…"

**Yggdrasill Martel:** "You will what, Aurion Kratos, four-thousand-year-old-seraph-my-original-companio n,-best friend of my fiancé?" "Remember this Dwarf* gestures to Dirk with her free hand*, raised your son for Fourteen years in which you were absent in his life"

**Aurion Kratos:** *hits the floor on one knee, bowing his head to the reincarnated goddess* "M...Martel…"

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "My my, what do we have here" *looks around the room at all participants* "We decided to swing by and see how you were doing old friend and to deliver some amazing news" *smirking*

**Aurion Kratos:** *still on his knee, but looking up at Yuan now" "And what would that be, my **"OLD"** friend?" *questions slightly irked while throwing emphasis on the word old*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** *Smirking back at Kratos, a mischievous gleam in his green eyes* "Martel is pregnant; and that means that **YOU**, _Aurion Kratos_, **WILL BE BECOMING AN UNCLE"** *smirks at his best friend*

**Aurion: Kratos:** "…"

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** *teleports in randomly, and at the wrong portion of the conversation* **"MARTEL IS WHAT!"** *turning to Yuan, shifting into his older form and grabbing Yuan by the front of the cape and then shaking his so Yuan sees pretty birdies and star, screaming at his former companion* **_"DISSAPEAR!"_**

**Aurion Irving Lloyd**: "…you're pregnant? How does that happen? *A clueless Lloyd opens his mouth to say more*

**Aurion Kratos, Ka-Fai-Yuan:** *cutting him off* **_Lloyden!_**

**Ka-Fai-Yuan:** "Lloyden, is there a brain under that hair, tell me you did not just ask that" *holding his head in the palm of his hand and shaking it in utter denial*

**Aurion Kratos:** *smirking with a winning smile* "It seems that you have not taught **_my_** son _"everything"_ he needs to know, now isn't that right, Irving Dirk, the Dwarf"

**Irving Dirk:** "…"

**Aurion Kratos:** "I thought so it seems I have still much to teach you my son" *glances at Lloyden, who is looking like a lost puppy dog, then at Dirk who is sending a Death Glare all his own back at the Seraph*

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** "didn't ask what Uncle Yuan, Dad?" *totally lost and clueless as to the severity of the situation*

**Aurion Kratos:** Lloyden, I will tell you what you do not know when you are older, for right now *drops his voice to the tone he used in the first Disclaimer battle* "Apologize to the goddess, your uncle, and to the authoress, if you don't, I will let Yuan have the pleasure of feeding you Miss Sages cooking, and I will allow the authoress write you out of this chapter, and wherever she sees fit."

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** *thinking better on his stomachs well-being, his appearances in this fan fiction, and what the authoress could do to him later on * _"I …I'm…I'm so sorry! Please don't feed me Raine's "COOKING" Uncle Yuan!"_ *dives under the couch and manages to get halfway out the other side before his sword sheaths get caught, pinning him to the floor, his head and shoulder sticking out the other side*

**Ka-Fai-Yuan:** "perfect" *smirks, walking over to where Lloyd is stuck and kneels on one knee beside him, "Miss Sage could you bring me some breakfast" "I need you too, miss Fujibayashi" he calls to Raine and Sheena as he waits for the food so he can begin the punishment that was assigned to him by the authoress, his best friend's father, and on behalf of his pregnant fiancé*

**Sage Raine:** Here is the food you asked for" *handing him a bowl of what is assumed to be "breakfast"

**Fujibayashi Sheena:** "Okay, I'm here what-cha need?"

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** Do you remember what you did you Kratos during the **OVA** bonus episode?" *At Sheena's nod he continues* "I need you to do the same thing now on my nephew "Lloyden"

**Aurion Irving Lloyd:** *eyes wide with panic he tries, and fails to stop his uncle from filling his mouth and stomach with the nasty concoction*

**Fujibayashi Sheena:** *slapping on the seal when he finishes, smirking*

**Aurion Irving Lloyden**: *turning purple, his eyes watering, and cheeks puffed out from not swallowing the last bite of food*

**Aurion Kratos:** "you did this to yourself my son, now you must…_Blame your Fate"_

**Brunel Colette:** _"**Justice **and** Love** will **ALWAYS **win"_

**The Akuren Princess:** *smiling and leaning into Kratos* "Now that that's settled, Colette, if you will please the disclaimer?"

**Brunel Colette:** "Of course" "*clears throat* "The Akuren Princess Does Not Own Tales of Symphonia, but **she Does own her OC Akuren Airen."**

**Aurion Kratos:** "My son, Dirk must have taught you to be this way, because I was not there as you said…to teach you… and because of that…you truly must…Blame your fate…"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *Passes out due to the nasty concoction in his mouth and stomach*

* * *

**Kratos's PoV (His and Lloyden's House)**

It's been four years almost to the day of Genesis for the new world; Lloyd is 21 and Colette 20. I remember shortly after the Regeneration, and Reunification, and Rebirth of the two competing worlds known as Sylverant and Tethe'alla, when I asked my son to do the unthinkable.

I remember his reaction, could see the pain in his eyes, as I asked him to send me to Derris-Kharlan to repent for my sins against those I'd been in contact with, and to do some thinking on the desolate chunk of mana floating in space.

He at first rebelled against my decision for self-isolation just like I expected him to do, but after talking it out with himself at his mother's grave, fighting with himself, crying, screaming and whoever would listen, or anyone who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and dragging his feet to reach a decision, he reluctantly agreed to my request, even though it killed him mentally and physically and emotionally to do so.

Again I was inflicting damage on his heart and soul, but this was for the benefit of my son Lloyd's future and mine. This way I would be able to throw all the Exsphere's on Derris-Kharlan into space so they could not be used as tools for others evil ambitions. After that I would return, but I didn't relay that bit of information to him.

Regret stung my eyes, and the back of my throat, and I'm sure tears would have welled up if they were able; yet I forged on, forcing myself to move, I swallowed the lumps that had accumulated and lodged itself into my throat, and lungs not allowing me to breathe or speak.

I am sure he could see the pain in my eyes, the utter defeat and disgust I had for myself for yet again abandoning him. However if I didn't do this, I'd never be able to do anything for him or myself, I'd never be the same. I needed the time to think, a place to be alone. That is the reason I asked him to do this for me, I would return to him, but it wouldn't be until I finished everything I set for myself to do while I was on Derris-Kharlan.

My last words to my son that day before he sent me to my destination, my self-imposed imprisonment on the chunk of mana were: Don't die before I do, Thank You…Lloyd, my wonderful son". My throat closed up as I neared the ending of my speech, strong emotions of love, and fatherly affection toward the boy standing in front of me, my only son, Aurion Lloyden.

He embraced me after much hesitation within his limbs, and a storm of uncertainty raging in his eyes. As I waited for this moment to pass, realizing it would be the first time in fourteen years that my son and I would touch other than in the throes of battle, in other words me saving his ass time and time again. Watching with tortured eyes, pained beyond all belief and my breath catching in my throat as his mind forced his limbs to move.

His utter uncertainty and chaotic confusion that he was suffering though was apparent in the jerky movements and a sure sign he was fighting within himself whether to do so or not. I was the one shocked that day though, because even though I knew it was coming, it was sudden. After the shock wore off I hesitantly laid my hands on his form wrapping him in a hug that was fourteen years delayed.

I stood there holding the delicate life in my arms as if it would break, and that is when I knew that I was going to return to my son's side. Lloyden, my son, needed me; and if I didn't know it before I started this journey with him at the Temple of Martel, after seeing Anna's grave outside his house, saving him from certain death on many occasion, teaching him how to defend and attack, and then ruthlessly betraying him, before I made this decision, and after making it, I knew it now.

My son came first after I completed the self-assigned task at hand I knew I had to do, and that in itself was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me Martel. I had a lot of lost time to make up, 17 years to be exact, and now that he was an Angel so to speak, we had all the time we needed to bond as father and son once more, reunite the family that had been shattered by Kvar and I.

I stood there at the table, looking out the window at the now horizon line. The sun was setting, but the storm clouds were roiling in the sky. Thunder was booming in the distance and bolts of lightning struck areas far south of us. It would only be a few minutes before the storm was upon us even being so far south, if it was a fast moving storm then it would be here in the blink of an eye.

It was a fast moving storm, and it felt as if I blinked and it crashed down upon us. Thunder rocked the house, as lightning raced and arced its way through the sky, striking the ground in intervals that were not predictable.

I glanced over out the open window that allowed service of food and beverages right into the Living Room without actually having to enter the Kitchen. My future daughter-in-law was lying on my sons chest, he on his back on the couch with his arms around her. Their breathing was slow, unhurried, but every now and again I'd see the former chosen flinch and I had to wonder if she was just using the storm to cuddle up to him.

He seemed to not mind her closeness, actually encouraging the behavior with wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him, whispering sweet nothings of love, affection, and protection into her ear. I smiled, knowing that I couldn't possibly be mad at her for what she was doing. Lloyd's hand was rubbing soothing circles on Colette's back every time she flinched causing her to instantly relax after every bout of muscles locking them-selves on her.

I returned to watching out the window, the storm was and had been here for a few minutes, the rain pounding the windows, as if demanding entrance into the dwelling I shared with the two. I couldn't see the horizon anymore, I doubt anyone could see five feet in front of their faces; even I was having much difficulty with the task, even with my Angel senses enhanced by the Exsphere I wore.

As I stared out the window at nothing, a black blob could be seen plummeting to the ground at extraordinary speeds. As I strained my senses to their max I could see it as an outline but nothing more, however, an outline was all I needed.

The figure: a human female, plummeting towards the ground. The lightning flashing and striking so close I felt my heart stop every time. If the lightning didn't kill them, the impact with the ground would. I knew what I had to do. I raced into the night, not even giving pause to explain myself to the two on the couch.

As the door shut behind me, my wings exploded out of my backside, blood droplets shining in the lightning intervals, and being propelled into the night, mixing with the rain and descending to the ground. Disregarding my discomfort, a grimace of pain flickering across my features, I pushed harshly off the ground gaining altitude and speed as I sped through the darkness towards the figure.

I managed to avoid all lightning strikes, and made it to the vicinity of the falling figure. It zoomed by me and I dove for it, my arms outstretched, praying I'd grasp something to stop their rapid decent to their inevitable death.

I managed something, it took only moments to slow them and myself, but by suddenly jerking them to a halt, I felt the crunch of cartilage, the sickening snap of the appendage I'd grasped, and the pop of her whatever joint of the appendage I'd grabbed, as it was roughly jerked out of its socket.

My desperate grab at the figure was met with injuries, but it was successful in saving their life, my heart didn't suffer though as it was pounding in fright of the thought of letting another life slip through my fingers, when I had the knowledge and ability to save them.

Injuries during a rescue I could live with, another death to the list of the thousands of lives I had taken before I met Anna, after I had met her, and after I had killed her with my own two hands, I could not. We hovered there for a moment; I could feel her pulse with my fingers at her wrist. Her heart beat was slow and very faint, but it was there, causing a hiss of air to escape my lips and the adrenaline of the past moment wore off.

Looking down as we hovered in the air, lightning striking down around us, I realized how close to the ground we really were. Seventy feet separated my unconscious innocent in my arms and I from the cold, hard, muddy, water-logged ground.

Seventy startling feet was all that separated us, and her death, and it was then when I realized that I'd managed to grab her wrist versus a leg , which was a comforting thought even though I knew that I'd done some extent of damage to that particular appendage.

I couldn't bring her body back to a manageable position gripping her wrist like the way I was, so preparing a moment in advance, I let her wrist to slip through my fingers, allowing her to resume in its pulling away from me and the safety of my arms.

My 4000 years of training, and experience did nothing to stop my heart from dropping right along at the same speed as their body gracefully, or as graceful as an unconscious body could be in drop to their death. I had used gravity to my advantage, which, in combination with their weight pulled them out of my grasp, thus allowing her to continue her plummet towards the ground.

I dove again, managing to catch her bridal style by bringing my one arm under her legs, and the other to support her upper back, leaning their frail, soaking wet body so it was leaning on half my upper arm, and partly on my chest. I pulled them to my chest, careful of the injuries she was suffering from at my hands and made the remaining decent towards the house.

As my feet approached the ground, I slowly fluttered to a stop, hovering just above the hard cold earth. My calculating mind saw the danger if I were to land on the rain soaked ground, my charge unconscious in my arms, and lightning streaking through the sky, lighting it for seconds at a time. It would often slam to the ground, and would electrocute all in its path or in the area where it created the moments where Heaven met Earth and the two were no longer separate entities.

Intuition told me to be wary, and always cautious in situations like this. It was that intuition that had been developed for the past four thousand years and that I'd lived by for all of them would prevent either of us from being electrocuted should we be on the rain-soaked ground and lightning struck.

I could feel and hear her heart beat, her lungs expanding and deflating, and the warm breeze of her breath as she breathed against me; telling me that they were still alive. I tilted my head down, fatherly instinct's that I'd acquired the past four years of living with Lloyden had introduced me to and taught me, when she moaned in which I assumed to be pain. Against my body I could feel her body shivering from the cold dampness of the rain. However I noticed, she was fully unconscious from her death defying fall, and it was probably for the best that she was unconscious.

I cast a first-aid to speed her healing, and hoped I hadn't done any irreversible damage to her body, and that the weather didn't impede their recovery any more than the damage I was sure I'd inflicted upon them would.

They were fragile, so light, like I was holding a mere child that was not even 130 pounds. I sure she could have given Miss Brunel a run for her money in weight. I had saved a complete stranger; at the risk of losing my own life in the process…what was I stupid? Oh that's right….

Damn my chivalrous tendencies, which were gained over those damned 4000 years…

Now I had to figure out what I was going to do with them, who they were, and how I was going to explain who the unconscious in my arms was when I walked through the door. Knowing my son, he would realize there was a heartbeat that differed in beat pattern from my own, another heat signature that didn't belong, and there was more than one breathing pattern…or would he even have the ability to…no he definitely would, he's my son, there is no way he could not notice.

However, when he did and it finally clicked in his brain that there was someone else other than myself and miss Brunel occupying the house he would have one hundred and fifty questions that would shoot off into my ear in rapid succession. Sometimes I found myself pondering when he found the time to breathe when he went into these rapid fire questionnaire sessions.

Trying to think of all the possible questions that would be asked, I had no doubt that I would have had a headache by the end of it, if I could still feel pain. Shifting the feather-light unconscious to balance in my left arm, my right hand free to be place at my right temple, my bangs running through my fingers, and a gentle yet agitated sigh to release from the depths of my throat, coming out as hiss of air. My final thought before entering the door that lead to my Q & A session with the former Sylverant Chosen Miss Brunel and my son Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:

Goddess Martel give me strength, you damn well know I'm going to need it…

* * *

**Aurion Kratos:** "I am not ready for this…"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** "What's wrong with you dad?"

**Aurion Kratos:** You wouldn't know, nor is it anything you need to be concerned of…yet my son….*sighs*

**Brunel Colette:** Aww c'mon "dad" it'll be fun *smiling*

**Aurion Kratos:** *muttering to himself incoherently to others* "This is fates doing, so now I reap what I sew and I will blame my fate…My son are you really **MY** son? You have Anna's features, yet you lack** my** intellect…I am ashamed…"

**The Akuren Princess:** Anyway that wraps up chapter **II**, hope you enjoyed it Ja Ne, **Please REVIEW!**


	3. ChapterIII: Afterthought of an Action

**Chapter III: Afterthought of an Action - Freedom, Free-DONE**

As promised chapter **III** is now going up, first review in, thank you so much for your support **Marina Ka-Fai**, I hope I don't disappoint you. You're the first person to comment on my style of writing. I've much more to this story and I hope more people review. Stay tuned, for if the incredible number of hits continues, this story will be updated faster.

Remember every 50~100 hits I will post up another chapter **IF** it's available.

**Woot 157 Views! Keep it up, I love you guys!**

**PLEASE REVIEW, I DONT THINK YOU GUYS KNOW HOW CRUCIAL IT IS TO AN AUTHOR TO RECIEVE REVIEWS GOOD OR BAD.**** HOW ARE WE TO KNOW WHAT YOURE THINKING WHAT YOU LIKE AND DONT LIKE, AND WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE, WORK ON, OR IMPROVE WITHOUT YOUR REVIEWS! PLEASE REVIEW IT'S CRUCIAL!**

Anyway...here it is Chapter III Enjoy!

* * *

**The Akuren Princess:** "I wonder who's going to do the disclaimer this round…"Ah yes Irving Dirk! Will you do the Disclaimer for me?"

**Irving Dirk:** "Ah course I W'll"

**Aurion Kratos**: _*Eye Twitching*_ **"YUAN!"**

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** *looks at his best friend, interpreting the silent, deadly intent in his friend's eyes and voice, starts chanting, as his friend does the same*

**Aurion Kratos**: *Taking up his infamous pose, concentrating his mana into his sword* _"Sacred Powers Cast Your Purifying Light Upon This Corrupt Soul…"_

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** _"I Call Upon Thee, In The Land Of The Dead, To Unleash Thy Fury Of Thunder"_

**Aurion Kratos:** "_Rest in Peace Sinners!"_

**Ka-Fai Yuan****:** "_Come Forth, Divine Lightning!"_

**Aurion Kratos:** "**_JUDGEMENT!"_**

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "**_INDIGNATION"_**

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *jumping in front of his adoptive father, his mana wings flaring, shouting* "**_GUARDIAN!_**

**Brunel Colette: ***jumping behind her adoptive father in law, shouting* "**_DAMAGE GUARD_****!"**

Together the two shields hold up against the double assault leaving the dwarf unharmed much to Kratos's dismay

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden: **"Genis!"

**Brunel Colette:** "Professor!"

**The Sages:** *interpreting Lloyden and Colette's intentions and starting their unison attack spells*

**Sage Genis:** "**GROUND DASHER!"**

**Sage Raine:**** "RAY!"**

**Sage Raine:** _"Ready!?"_

**Sage Genis:** *shouting* "**PRISM STARS!"**

**Aurion Kratos & Ka-Fai-Yuan:** *Neither have time to throw up their respective shields, not expecting retaliation call from Lloyden. Both are hit with multiple, flying, fluffy, stars and are knocked into outer space, seeing pretty birdies, and stars*

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *flaring his mana wings and going after the two sailing away from him, once he catches up* _"I'll show you divine Justice_: **FALCON'S****_ CREST_****!" ***hitting both his real father and his uncle with the flat of his "blade" he sends them further towards Derris-Kharlan.

**AN:** Lloyd's using a paper fan for a weapon bought at Luin once they've restored it.

**Irving Dirk:** "Aight, I'll do the disclaimer now! **THE AKUREN PRINCESS DOES NOT OWN TALES OF SYMPHONIA, NEVER HAS NEVER WILL, even though that makes her sad…"**

**The Akuren Princess:** "What a display, nice tech exposition. Anyway on with the fic. And Lloyden, bring your father and uncle back onto the paper safely please"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *landing with both his father and uncle in tow* "They're going to have one hell of a headache, and won't be able to sit for an extended period of time while their "wounds" heal when they come to…"

* * *

**Kratos's PoV: (His and Lloyden's house)**

Quietly sighing to myself, dreading the coming questionnaire session I let my hand drop from my temple where it had been. Taking a breath, I placed my hand on the door knob to our home, turning it and gently pushing the door open. The light from within blinded me momentarily, but it soon went away as my angelic eyes adjusted to it. I stepped inside still holding the unconscious in my left arm, it bearing all their weight. After closing the door, I brought my other hand back under her, shifting her back into the bridal style to carry her.

I flicked my wings, and the remaining blood and water droplets fell to the black mat beneath my feet, I then released my wings, pulling them back into my body with a bit more concentration that I normally needed, the feeling was very alien, the slide of them as they entered my body, but I never even thought twice of it, my only thoughts were on the unconscious in my arms and saving their life... I'd have to remember to use my wings a bit more, the pain from having them explode from my shoulder blades was excruciating, almost as bad as the first time I used them, shortly after Mithos transformed Yuan and I into Angels…

Wait…Pain? What was this…I was feeling again after four thousand years, why after all this time was I feeling again, my heart racing with realization. The next moments caused my speeding heart to stop mid beat at the next thing I felt. Warmth…I could feel the body I was holding, the heat that it held. Emotions threatened to overwhelm me, my frame shaking with the force of the blows reality had so cruelly dealt to me. I was still and Angel and we are not and were not suppose-to feel after losing ourselves to the process, I was regaining my human senses and I had no idea what the catalyst for the phenomenon was…

After overcoming my shock, willing my heartbeat to return to a normal rhythm as to not alert the other two in the house to my distress, I hovered past the living room quickly, not making a sound, and praying to Martel they would not question my motives at the moment. I managed to make it up the stairs without any questions, but I knew that when I returned Lloyden would be up, most definitely sensing what was upstairs and I would be forced into a corner, and pleaded with puppy-dog eyes to tell him what was going on. This would in turn allow the other little angel gracing our house a way to further push me into a corner till there was no escape. The only chance at freedom I'd ever be allowed was when they were satisfied with the responses I gave.

Oh hell, I was in for a very long night, Thank Martel I didn't need to sleep…or so I thought…

Arriving at the door to my master bedroom, again shifting my charge into my left arm, I twisted the handle and entered my personal domain. On the far wall I had my rack of swords, and short daggers, everything from Excalibur, to Fafnir, the cursed short dagger which was part of the Devil's-Arms-Weapon-Set. The fire in the hearth was quiet, a pile of ashes had accumulated, and there was no heat emanating from it since the early hours of this morning. I'd have to start a fire and remove the swords from the room after I ensured her health.

After laying her on my bed, I cast another first aid, hoping that it would numb the pain so she could get a few more hours of peaceful sleep while her body regenerated. Her clothes soaked from the rain had to be removed, and it wasn't my first time laying my eyes on a female body, but it had been a long twenty one years since the last time. I was nervous, and the shaking my body had started confirmed that thought.

She was in a hooded shirt, much like a cloak but warmer with some sort of contraption running down the front of it. A small hook like object was sitting at the top of the contraption, at the base of her neck. Her pants were baggy, with chains crisscrossing each other attached to rings that ran in odd intervals down the legs. Her shoes, were nonexistent, her bare feet were covered by the bottom of her pant legs. Her waist was covered by the hooded shirt she wore, but she had to be small, her weight that I felt when carrying her back to the house, even with the rain drenching it wasn't any more than Colette could have been.

Slowly, and always cautious of her damaged arm, I undid the contraption running down her chest; this revealed a black tank top much like my son wore under his jacket. What caught my eye were the curves of her body. Taunt in all the right places, and a body like a goddess, the black shirt clung to her form.

Running my eyes down her lithe form, they landed on her narrow hips. My breath caught in my throat as I looked her over from head to toe, and I felt a stirring within me that I hadn't felt in nearly twenty-one years. I was craving companionship, not a relationship, just someone to talk to, besides, how could I even have feelings for someone I hadn't even met yet after all? The shocker to all this is that I hadn't craved anything, whether it be sex, or a relationship, or friendship with anyone since I murdered my wife with my own hands and thought my only son, Lloyden, dead.

I swallowed the feeling, knowing that this wasn't the time, and that it was probably the strange effects on my conscious due to my "humanity" returning to me. I knew if I didn't get her out of her cold, wet, clothes shed catch cold, and that would further impair her recovery. Even though she was unconscious, I felt like a teenager all over again, nervous in the presence of a female, not trusting myself or my actions or reactions. My mind instantly ran to memories of Anna, and our first night together, the conception of Lloyden, the sweetness and intimacy of the moment. My life forever changed then, I became a father, Anna a mother, and we a family.

Now I was faced with a young adult around the age of twenty three and I had no idea why feelings were stirring up after so long being dead. I promised myself that after I lost Anna I would never love again, I would atone for her death for the rest of my existence. Would Anna ever be able to forgive me for moving on, allowing myself that chance at happiness once more, to allow another woman a chance at weaving herself into my heart? I would never know those answers; Anna wasn't here to answer those questions that plagued my very existence, and would haunt me for eternity, since death was no longer an option.

After stripping her down to nothing but her undergarments, which were black as well, go figure… I laid the warm, down-filled covers over her body. Her skin was cold and clammy to the touch, her breath patterns slow, shallow, and much too few within a minute for my liking. Her skin was an unhealthy translucent white, and I could clearly see all the veins and arteries running just underneath it. She was still shivering, and I figured it would be awhile before her body regained its normal temperature level. Turning from their form, towards the fire, I grabbed a chair, laying her pants, and jacket and, muscle shirt on the back of it facing the dead fireplace. Starting the fire would be no trouble with a controlled fireball magic spell, but getting rid of the ashes that plagued the hearth, well that…was another story in itself.

I never liked ashes, and this time proved no different as I struggled to breathe while scooping them into a bucket. Once I had succeeded in getting almost all the ashes out of the hearth, I placed them outside on the balcony, the fresh air hitting my lungs and I sighed a content breath of relief. The ashes would remain outside and the balcony doors would remain locked so it couldn't blow back into the room.

Gathering some tinder, and a few smaller twigs to get the fire going, I lit it, channeling the tiny conjured fire-ball spell and with pin-point accuracy lit the small bundle. As those bits of tiny tinder took, I gradually added in larger and larger pieces to it till it was a steady, stable flame. The flames, casting a warm glow on the room, lit ting up the room so, that candles were deemed unnecessary.

Casting a quick glance towards my newly adopted ward, I pulled a chair to the fire, then grabbing a book off the shelf, I sank into it. The light of the fire lit the pages, and even without it I was sure that I could have read with no trouble. Angel senses did have their perk that's for sure, I'd be sure to thank one Yggdrasill Mithos later, even though to attain these processes, Yuan and I had to give up our humanity in its entirety.

I couldn't help but look back on the night's happenings, the images flashing back to me through my photographic memory. I found myself questioning myself why the hell I'd raced out in a thunderstorm to save a stranger falling from the sky. What compelled me to do that, was I out of my fucking mind?

The simple, most logical answer to my inquiry, NO I wasn't crazy, there had to be an explanation that was the catalyst for my behavior tonight. I shook my head, my messy mane of hair loosing the water held within each individual strand, my hair then naturally falling back into the style Id kept for over four thousand years while I served the Yggdrasill siblings.

I felt fatigued…I hadn't felt the sensation of being fatigued since…Yuan and I gave up my humanity to Seraphdom…what the hell was going on with me….I chalked it up to the withdrawal of adrenaline through my body and prayed it would go away.

Meditation, ah, Meditation, yes that's what I was going to do; I was going to find my calm, cool, icy exterior, Angel Of Death, Seraph self again. Dirk had gotten off easy thus far, and I wasn't about to let the little Halfling get the upper hand on me. However I couldn't fully meditate with a pretty much naked female in my bed and my mind constantly straying towards, and getting lost in thoughts of them. I hadn't had contact with another human other than Anna in so long; it was unbelievably weird to feel that stirring within me…

Sure, I was an Angel now, and pain was nonexistent; until tonight that is… but I could have died and never felt the pain that accompanied it. I would have to dig deep inside myself to find the answers to the questions that were now racing though my brain to the forefront of my conscious.

I was noticing changes within myself, noticeable to say the least, the feeling of pain that tore through me tonight after existing four-thousand years without feeling anything in the form of pain, pleasure, etc, was more than unbearable and I wasn't sure why I was experiencing these fluctuations in my physical body's reactions after being stable for so long.

Then the one after-thought of my actions of the night hit me full on and it made me groan in displeasure:

My newly acquired Freedom was now Free-Done…and I only had myself to blame…

* * *

**The Akuren Princess:** "Hey Kratos, what's that supposed to mean Freedom – Free-DONE, I mean…*taking a shaky breath* "do you regret saving me?"

**Aurion Kratos:** "No, it's not that, I've just grown tired over the "years" of baby-sitting, get rid of one ward to gain another…and you …remind me of…her…"

**The Akuren Princess**: "…Kratos… I'm sorry…"

**Aurion Kratos:** "It's not your fault Miss Akuren…Please don't trouble yourself with a pathetic being like myself"

**Appearing out of nowhere…**

**Stunt Double Kvar:** "Hah, you admitted that you're **A Pathetic Inferior Being**!" *jumping up and down clapping his hands, smiling that evil smile he always held in the game and **OVA***

**Aurion Kratos:** * not realizing that this is a stunt double, and not the real Kvar* "No, I did not, re-read the fine print Kvar, you squinty eyed, pathetic inferior being…"

**Kvar:** "You can't do this!"

**Aurion Kratos:** "I can't do what?" *raises one eyebrow*(all the while knowing full well what he's doing)

**Stunt Double Kvar**: "Die, you pathetic inferior Being!"

**Aurion Kratos:** …aren't you dead…? Oh well…*slashes once* _"Feel the Pain_"...*slashes twice* "…_of those inferior beings…*slashes _a third and final time* _"…as you burn in hell…."_ *nudges him off the paper and out of the cast calling*... _"Blame your fate…"_

**Stunt Double Kvar:** *gurgling* "Noooooo"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** "You bastard!"

**Aurion Kratos:** "Lloyden, Watch your tongue…"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyd:** "You're going to get all fatherly on me now? You weren't in my life for the first fourteen years of my life, then you show up and spend parts of the next three playing at **Mercenary**, **Seraph**, and **Traitor;** and you chose to become all fatherly **_NOW_**_?"_

**Aurion Kratos: "…"**

**The Akuren Princess**: **ANYWAY**, good job** Kratos**, you _killed_ the **Stunt Double…!**

**The REAL Kvar:***whispering to himself* "Ha ha, you **PATHETIC INFERIOR BEINGS"** *sneaks off without being seen,*

**The Akuren Princess:** Alright folks it's over, that's a wrap, nothing to see here, **MOVE ON!**

Onegai **REVIEW**, tell me what you didn't like what you did like things you want to see in the story…not that I can guarantee that they will be included but feedback is nice. *smiles* **Ja Ne**

**Aurion Kratos:** "If you do not **REVIEW**, then be prepared to _"Blame…Your…Fate"_


	4. Chapter IV: My World Forever Changed

**Okay, I am serious, I WILL NOT POST ANOTHER CHAPTER UNTIL I GET ANOTHER REVIEW, I KNOW I SAID EVERY 50~100 HITS/VIEWS, BUT NO REVIEWS MAKES ME SAD, SO PLEASE FEEDBACK, TELL ME WHAT YOU LIKE, WHAT YOU DON'T, WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, WHERE I MADE A MISTAKE OR TWO, ANYTHING PLEASE, however the move in depth you are, the better!**

**Okay, my rants done...but seriously guys ****PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Here you are chapter IV, I know its been a bit longer than my last chapter to get out, but you guys still haven't reviewed, the chapters are written I just am waiting to post them! Currently about halfway through with writing chapter VI and not sure when I'll post it to my Doc Manager. **

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**Chapter IV: In Which My World Is Forever Changed**

**The Akuren Princess:** Hey Zelos, will you do the disclaimer for me?

**Wilder Zelos:** Of course my lovely hime* hearts in his eyes*

**Fujibayashi Sheena:** Oh no you don't *grabs ahold of Zelos's ear and drags him off the paper*

**Wilder Zelos:** "Whaaa let go let go let gooooo..." *flailing his arms and legs, in a failed attempt to rid himself of Sheena*

**The Akuren Princess**: "Uh, okay then…how about you Genis?"

**Sage Genis**: "M...me?"

**Combatir Presea:** "Yes, I believe she is talking to you Genis" *looking over at the boy and smiling warmly*

**Sage Genis:** "PPPP…PPre…PPresea..."

**Combatir Presea:** "Please do it for me?"

**Sage Genis:** *nods, his face beet red, then taking a calming breath, but an evil thought hits his mind and he can't help but spew it, along with his feelings about a certain breed out into words* "if you stupid Hu…"

**Sage Raine:** *Smacks Genis on the back of the head* "Watch your tongue Genis"

**Sage Genis:** *holding his head* "oww Raine…ngh*

**Combatir Presea:** "The probability of Genis getting smacked for that comment, one hundred percent…"

**The Akuren Princess:** *sigh* "who else is left to do the disclaimer for me?"

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "Miss Akuren, I will gladly accept the task of disclaiming for you"

**The Akuren Princess: ***looking up at the Seraphim gracing her presence* "Oh, thank you Yuan"

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "Not a problem" *takes Airen's hand and kisses the back of it lightly, his lips ghosting over her skin*

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** *seeing Yuan's display of affection, seething and then screaming at the top of his lungs* **"CHEATER!"**

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "Crap, I'm in trouble now" *runs off the page terrified of his lord, screaming at the top of his lungs and vocal range the whole way* _"I am no cheater! I am Yuan, I am a four thousand year old half-elf Seraph that serves and is engaged__** MARTEL**__, and you, my future brother-in-law scare the living shit out of me, __**YGGDRASILL MITHOS**__…..!"_

**Yggdrasill Mithos**: *acting all snobbish* "Ha serves him right; you won't cheat on _**my**_ sister and get away with it!"

**The Akuren Princess:** **"MITHOS!" **Now that you've scared my disclaimer off the page, I guess **you'll **have to do the disclaimer"

**Mithos Yggdrasill:** *shifting to his older leader of Cruxis form* "You cannot order me around, I created this world! Therefore, I will not, **GLORY TO THE COMING AGE OF HALF ELVES!"**

**Yggdrasill Martel**: **"Yggdrasill Mithos!** You will not act that way in front of a lady, especially after running **my fiance **off, it will take me hours to get him to come out of hiding. You **WILL **do this disclaimer, do you hear me?"

**Aurion Kratos:** *eyes widening when he hears Mithos scream his old catch phrase, but says nothing, prepared to stop his old friend should the need arise, his hand grasping the hilt of his sword with white knuckled force, however he is shaking his head not believing what he is hearing out of Mithos's mouth*

**The Akuren Princess:** *thinking to herself* 'I thought he left that glory to the coming age of half elves in the past' "Oh and by the way, you did not create this world, you were the one who split it in the first place, Lloyden and his friends plus your two Seraphim's who you are on a first name basis with, reunited and created this regenerated the world" *finishes her rant while smirking at the scolded Mithos the whole time*

**Yggdrasill Mithos**: *shifting back to his fourteen-year-old self, looking at the floor, knowing he's in deep shit* "yes sis…" *picks up his head and locks eyes with The Akuren Princess, anger flashing , then pure defiance as he stares her down. The sweet, but scolding voice of his sister pulls him from his staring contest with the authoress*

**Yggdrasill Martel:** "We are waiting young man…"*tapping her foot, her arms crossed over her chest, taking on a very Kratosy look*

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** "**The Akuren Princess ****DOES NOT OWN**** Tales of Symphonia**, *shifting to his other form* and she never will rule over me!"

**The Akuren Princess:** Martel, how do you do it…*shakes her head sighing* "Anyway, now that I have my disclaimer, read on my viewers, read on…"

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**"Speaking"**

**'Thinking'**

** (Kratos's PoV – His and Lloyden's house)**

A waiting game, that's what this was, and patience was what was needed and missing at this point in time. The unconscious innocent that I'd rescued from the storm still lay in my bed, recovering. I put another log on the fire, knowing it would help keep the dampness out of the room, and then went about my business. I removed my sword rack, placing it in my son's room on his wall for safety reasons, I also took the two possessions I found in the pockets of her clothes, and laid them on the small table by the fireplace. A small black book, and a pure silver dagger, intricately carved and a line of Mythril running down the center of the blade were all that I recovered. A single diamond adorned its hilt, gleaming in the fires flickering light.

I sighed, leaning my full weight onto the wall behind me, resting one arm on the mantle, the other secured to my sword hanging silently at my side, waiting for a command. I turned her clothes every so often, preventing them from burning, and so they evenly dried. Other than doing that I had nothing else to do. However I noticed my muscles were starting to lock up, it'd been four thousand years since Id experienced that. I had to get up and stretch, and could no longer be the statue that I'd accustomed myself to be.

My features still hadn't changed, and it didn't look like I was aging at all, on the outside that is, on the inside I had no idea, but even that being the case, it was a relief to know I didn't look as old as I felt. If I were simply regaining human qualities without losing the angelic ones, like the expanded life, the not feeling pain, etc, now that would be the best of both worlds. Living forever didn't seem so bad, now that my son would forever be by my side. I had plenty of time to ponder the pros and cons of these outcomes, and now that I had to wait for my newly acquired ward to awaken, that could be done. Lloyden was nowhere in sight, and neither was Colette, so for the time being I had some peace and quiet. However, for how long that peace remained un-shattered I did not know.

I stood there quietly, patiently looking after my newly acquired ward as she lay unconscious in my bed, sleeping peacefully. This in turn brought on thoughts of Anna, sweet memories, and the pain that accompanied them. "Anna, what do I do now?" I questioned, it coming out in a sigh of a breath. I pinched the bridge of my nose, staving off what would have been a migraine. I wasn't used to pain, and now that everything was chaotically coming down upon my head and wreaking havoc on my mind and body, I had no choice other than to act before the oncoming pain hit me, rendering me defenseless.

Regardless of what pain I put my body through, and choose to endure because of my choice to save this girl, I will never regret the choice. Something pulled me to save them, something that I wasn't all too sure of what it was, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. I, the Angel of Death was getting…dare I say it…"soft". All I could do is give her medical care, and wait on her body to heal itself, for her to slip out of the unconscious state so the questions I had and the questions my son inevitably would be pounding my ears with, she could answer for him, for myself, and give a proper explanation as to why they were falling out of the sky during a storm completely unconscious.

I must have stood there hours, for the first time in four-thousand years, my back hurt, my muscles ached, and I wanted nothing more than to lie down. Unfortunately I couldn't because I was on "ward duty" and my bed was occupied. Knowing I had to check in on my son and future daughter-in-law downstairs I crossed the room to where she was laying, casting a quick first-aid, checking her pulse with my fingers to her wrist. Everything seemed as normal as a recovering person's vitals could be so I wasn't really worried.

I threw another log on the fire, putting the ember screen over it to prevent our home from going up in flames and padded my way silently to the door. She looked so peaceful lying there, besides the tremors that were wracking her body, and the slight grimaces of pain that flashed across her features every now and again she was fine. I closed the door over, but I didn't let it latch, allowing me to hear into the room if a situation should arise.

Making it downstairs, I noticed I was still in my wet, bloody clothes. Letting out and inaudible sigh, I turned around and went back up the stairs to my sons room. There I went rummaging through his closet, knowing Id stashed a tee-shirt and my pants somewhere in there, and it would be a miracle if it wasn't buried by my sons shit. I was right, it was buried, I'd have to remind myself to force him to clean some of it out, my Martel, was he a pack rat…

I managed to find my clothes, after a bit of digging, and yes being the "fatherly figure" and wanting to "teach" him "life-lessons" I left the huge pile of accumulated shit on the floor in front of his closet. I settled on Jeans, dark in color and a bit baggy for my slim but muscular figure, and my tank-top not unlike the one the unconscious, and my son were wearing, which was black and form fitting, loser than my "merc" outfit, or my "Cruxis" outfit, but still form fitting and left very little to the imagination, and over that I threw on a black lose silk button up long sleeve shirt, leaving it unbuttoned.

I ended up in the bathroom, towel drying my hair and looking into the mirror. I didn't recognize the man that stared back at me. I hadn't realized that in the short while that I'd been getting my human side back that my body had started re-growing hair again… My Martel, I was scruffy looking, looking around in the closet, I found what I was looking for. Lloyden's shaving cream, a brand new razor fresh out of the package, and aftershave, which I was going to use no matter how pungent the smell. I never had to worry about razor burn as an Angel, feeling nothing rocked to a point, but now, everything had changed in just a little expanse of time, and I had no idea how to survive…

Shaving after four thousand years…what a hassle, I'd have to ask Yuan if he was having the same issues as well, I hadn't seen him or Martel in a very long time, maybe it was time to get together. If this was some change within my body's chemistry and it was temporary, I could live with it, but if it was going to be permanent, I wanted Lord Yggdrasill to put me through the process of Angelification...no matter how painful it would be. I hoped he had refined it a bit more than his first attempts and experiments on Yuan and I, because I liked having my emotions back…just not everything that came with becoming "human"…

After finishing the battle between the shaving cream, stubble, after-shave and myself, I ran a comb through my hair and then shook it to attain the style I'd been wearing the past four thousand years, my bangs covering one eye and the other side falling around my face, the back sticking up at odd angles before it ended neatly at the nape of my neck. How did Yuan deal with all that hair! It would drive me insane!

Wait…my hair is longer...it hadn't grown in over four thousand years since becoming an Angel, the very start of my existence as a "superior being" and it was a slightly darker shade that it was previously, I could tell, my eyes picked up the subtle changes in the brighter light of the bathroom. I decided to leave it, maybe it was just something that came with the radical changes and it wouldn't be a permanent change. I could only hope and pray that it was the proper reasoning and I had nothing to worry or fear.

After one last look in the mirror, I was satisfied at how I looked, the changes weren't so drastic that anyone could see them, only those with a trained eye, Raine, Yuan, Martel, Mithos, Genis, Regal or Presea would be able to Colette and my son Lloyden would not, so for the time being, my secret was safe. I stripped off my shirt, covered the mirror, shut the door, and wrapped a towel around my waist for my next act. I took a deep breath, slowly letting the hiss of air escape through my clenched teeth. I willed myself to relax, closed my eyes, and concentrated on the gathering of mana through my body to two single points just on the inside of my shoulder blades.

Loosing that mana, I felt the painful pinch of my skin before it felt like it was being stretched impossibly tight. I bit my lip, my canines piercing the corner of the sensitive skin, blood welling and dripping down my chin, where it fell to the floor with the force of gravity, splashing rather unceremoniously on the Marble. A flicker of fire raced through my body along with a tearing sensation. My whole body wincing with my muscles contractions and releasing when they would relax. I was out of control of my body's functions…uncontrollably shaking with the excruciating pain that radiated through my body, which wracked my frame to the bone.

The next moment my wings had slithered out of my body, blood seeping out of the two jagged holes where they had emerged from, and coating my "wings" and spattering the walls and floor. I turned in the mirror, looking at the damage that my wings caused, visibly wincing when I laid my eyes on it. My eyes widened with the next change my eyes laid on. I was speechless, staring at my backside…my wings were completely changed, no longer the pure mana wings that Ka-Fai Yuan, Yggdrasill Mithos, Brunel Colette, Aurion-Irving-Lloyden, and Wilder Zelos wore, and the wings that used to adorn my back. No, this was a huge change…

They were more like Remiel's, feathery and solid, instead of segmented mana, black or a dark red in color, I couldn't be sure with the blood coating them even in the bright light of the bathroom. Each individual feather that created the outer most layers was adorned with the ethereal blue translucent mana feathers, that I was used to seeing on myself, instead of being fully translucent blue and comprised completely of mana as they used to be.

I was shocked, I had no idea when this change happened either, and I was going to question what the hell was going on, and get answers out of my former boss.

No wonder my wings hurt when they exploded from my back last night, being completely solid, unable to be pulled back within my body at the mere thought that it used to take, even Lloyden and Miss Brunel could pull their wings in with less of a thought processes that I now had to have. This was going to be troublesome…

Now I'd have to concentrate, and I could feel each feather as it slid back into the confines of my back. This wasn't getting any easier…and for once in my four thousand years, I was at an utter and complete loss, no plan of action, no calculating mind, I was a blank, uncomprehending being, and at the rate these changes were occurring there was no set path, no way to know what the future held for me.

I took a few moments, just breathing, concentrating my being on listening to the slowly thumping heart in my bedroom, using the rhythm to relax my body. Closing my eyes I stood perfectly still willing my new wings to fold and slither into my back, a feeling that would take another few months to get used to.

Moments later I opened my eyes, my wings safely tucked back into their place, hidden from prying eyes. Funny thing was I could feel them, just under the surface, the brush of silken feathers against the inside of my skin made a chill run down my spine. Taking another calming breath, refocusing on the heartbeat upstairs again to regulate my own, I set out to accomplish my next task.

Cleaning the blood off the floor, walls and any other surface that it had splattered onto was my top priority before I cleansed my own bloody backside. I took a wet rag, pouring a bit of antiseptic to prevent the spread of disease, and dabbed at the now drying blood on the floor and walls, removing every trace of blood as to not start a panic for the next person who entered the bathroom.

The events that led to this moment had an undesirable outcome for the look of the bathroom.

To someone entering the bathroom, it looked like someone had been murdered in there, high-velocity blood spatters coated every surface that I had not covered before allowing my wings to harshly escape from the confines of my shoulder blades.

I would need a shower to get the blood off my back where it had ran down, and caked on it in places. I started the shower, letting the towel around my pants drop from my hips, and taking off everything else. I stepped into the hot water…another feeling that I was going to have to get re-used to, I both loved and despised these changes. I let the water run down my back, caressing my skin, relaxing my muscles, and washing away the blood of the day.

The water stung, the torn, jagged edges of my skin were still quite sensitive from when my wings crudely erupted from my body moments prior, and it was going to take a bit more than a few moments to heal. I hoped my Angelic healing would kick in and that the process would be completed before I stepped out of the shower.

I lathered up my body and hair, allowing the soap to flow down my backside, washing away the drying blood, it becoming liquid again, turning the water and soap blood red, as it trailed down my body and joined the rest of the spattering water in flowing down the drain.

I wanted it to wash the numerous sins off my body, to cleanse it and then I could watch them go down the drain. I would never be pure again though, my kill count was numerous, and I don't recall how many people I actually put an end to, but I remember each and every one of their faces, how they looked when they pleaded with me not take their lives, heh, they would forever haunt my waking and sleeping hours for the rest of my existence...

I was ashamed, I'd done so much to so many, and even after I'd "repented", it still wasn't enough. I will never be rid of the sins I have committed, all I can do now is live with them, pray I will be forgiven someday, take care of the ones I love, and not make the same mistakes twice.

Another thought crossed my mind, how the hell was I going to explain these sudden, chaotic, changes in my body's ability to now feel again? The emotions that I was currently re-gaining were one thing, and the changed wings that were sure to be noticed the next time we took to the air, or a situation forced me into exposing them.

Lloyden's questions that were sure to come after he noticed the other being under our roof would include, who, what, where, when, why and how everything went, down to the tiniest details of every second of every minute of every hour of the day…

Martel have mercy…this was going to be the death of me…

* * *

**The Akuren Princess:** Alright that takes care of this chapter

**Aurion Kratos:** Yuan, that was some speech in the disclaimer *smirks*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "S...Sh…Shut uup…" *Trembling in Martel's arms*

**Yggdrasill Martel:** "There there, it's alright Yuan he can't hurt you."*looking up at her younger brother, anger flashing in her eyes* "Mithos, see what you've done, I waited four thousand years for you to revive me and you fail me, and then your arch nemesis for three years ends up reviving me in the end, fixing the world, and you go scaring my fiancé, and your friend off the face of the page" *in a scolding manor

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** "But Martel he…."

**Yggdrasill Martel:** "I don't want to hear it right now Mithos, Yuan is scared of you, and I suggest you apologize young man"

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** *mumbling* "I am sorry Yuan; I won't and I can't guarantee you I won't scare you again…" *turns an evil grin on Yuan*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** *scared shitless* Ahh! Help me Kratos! *leaps out of Martel's arms and right into Kratos's, Kratos catching him bridal style*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "Help me Kratos…Mithos is going to scare me" *terrified*

**Aurion Kratos:** *shaking his head* "He will not harm you Yuan, I will not allow him to, and neither will Lloyden, nor any of the friends we've made over the years, don't worry my old friend" *he states, his lips inches from Yuan's, their foreheads just touching*

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *not looking where he's going, slamming into Kratos's backside* "Dad!"

**Aurion Kratos:** *the force from his son crashing into him sends his lips into contact with Yuan's, his eyes widening in shock, before pulling away abruptly, fast but not fast enough for Lloyden to avoid seeing it"

**Aurion Irving Lloyden:** *eyes wide in shock* **_"MY EYES THEY BURN!"_** *covering his eyes staggering around, continually screaming his eyes are burning*

**Aurion Kratos:** * thinking to himself* '_I just kissed my best friend and I liked it_…oh Anna, Airen FORGIVE ME!' * The love in his eyes for Yuan apparent, he looks into the others eyes then slowly leans in again*

**The Akuren Princess**: *to herself* 'this is kind of hot…'

**Yggdrasill Martel:** **"YUAN!"** *looks on in terror before she gathers the courage within and yanks Yuan away from Kratos*

**Aurion Kratos:** *stumbles slightly as Yuan is ripped away from him* "_Yu…an…"_ *slightly panting, his cheeks flushed and his breathing rather ragged*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** *breathing just as hard as Kratos his face also flushed* _"Kra...tos…"_

**Aurion Irving Lloyden:** *still screaming and stumbling about his hands covering his eyes* **"MY EYES THEY BURN…"**

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** *screaming randomly***GLORY TO THE COMING AGE OF HALF-ELVES!"** then realizing what his two Seraphim's have done…***"YUAN! YOU, YOU…CHEATER!"**

**Random Troller:** **BURN!**

**The Akuren Princess:** Anywho…please review and ignore the **"My Eyes They Burn"** **AND** the other maniac screaming **"Glory to the Coming Age of Half-Elves", **and calling his soon to be brother in law a "cheater" Hope you enjoyed this chapter **Ja Ne!**


	5. Chapter V: Revelations - Truth Unveiled

**Chapter V is the ****LONGEST CHAPTER**** thus far, 10,580 words FOR THIS ONE GUYS!**

**I WANT REVIEWS, PLEASE, I FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD. I AM AIMING TO PLEASE, BUT HOW CAN I PLEASE YOUR WANTS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOURE THINKING, I AM NOT A MIND READER! SO REVIEW PLEASE!**

**IF THIS CHAPTER DOES NOT GET REVIEWS, I WILL NOT POST ANOTHER CHAPTER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

**Marina Ka-Fai - Thank you for all your loving support for this story and your kind reviews. I appreciate them! 3**

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**_Chapter V: Revelations – The Truth Unveiled_**

**The Akuren Princess:** "Let's see, who hasn't done the disclaimer for me this story hmm, Kratos, will you do the disclaimer today?

**Aurion Kratos:** "Of course hime, the pleasure is mine" *smiles*

**The Akuren Princess:** "Arigatou, Kratos-San, by the way, where is your son?"

**Aurion Kratos:** "Lloyden is currently going blind, and is still stumbling around covering his eyes and screaming that his eyes burn, because he saw Yuan and I kiss, but the kiss was the result of his lack of ability to be aware of his surroundings."

**Ka-Fai-Yuan:** _*coughs*_ "That's right, it wasn't like we planned to kiss" *to himself* "I did enjoy it though, his lips were so…*trails off into blissful thoughts about his best friend, anime stars in his eyes*

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** **_"YUAN, YOU'RE STILL A CHEATER!"_**

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "_Am not!"_

**Yggdrasill Mithos:**_ "Are to!"_

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** "_Am not!"_

**Yggdrasill Mithos:** _"Are to!"_

**Ka-Fai- Yuan:** **"_I AM NOT AND THAT'S FINAL DO YOU HEAR ME_!"** *screaming at the top of his lungs, panting hard when he finishes*

**Aurion Kratos:** **_"Enough…"_** *is not heard by his two bickering companions*

**The Akuren Princess:** _"and they don't even listen…" _*shakes head in denial*

**Aurion Kratos:** **_"JUDGEMENT!"_**

**Ka-Fai Yuan & Yggdrasill Mithos:** **"KRATOS!"** *both have been fried by the beams of light, hair frizzy and sticking up in odd angles, and their clothes are singed*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** **_M...My…H...Ha…Hair! KRATOS YOU RUINED MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR, HOW AM I TO BE MARTELS HUSBAND WHEN WE DON'T MATCH HAIR STYLES, HOW ARE PEOPLE TO KNOW WERE A COUPLE! *crying anime tears*_**

**Aurion Kratos_:_**_ "Oh Yuan, you'll get over it" *gently starts rubbing circles on his friends back*, "Anyway, now that I have silence…"_ "**_THE AKUREN PRINCESS DOESN'T OWN TALES OF SYMPHONIA!"_**

**The Akuren Princess:** "Arigatou Gozaimasu Kratos-San" *_smiles*_

**Aurion Kratos:** "You're most welcome, hime" *takes her hand pulls her to him and kisses her forehead, holding her tenderly*

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** *The moment his eyes clear, he blinks them, and into focus pops his father and arch nemesis, screaming again, covering his eyes and staggering around* **_"MY EYES THEY BURN!"_**

**The Akuren Princess:** "Oh well, anyway on with the Fic, and on another note: please ignore Lloyden…"

**"Speaking"**

'**Thinking'**

**_(Airen's Point of View – Kratos and Lloyden's House - Kratos's Bedroom)_**

My body feels heavy, what happened to me….the last thing I remember is…"Oh My God" I croaked out, bolting upright in bed, my body instantly wincing in pain, my head experiencing whip-lash, and regretting sitting up so fast. My Left arm throbbing and my eyes are fighting the light, and uncooperative. I can't focus on anything.

'Oh that's right my game...

That's right, I was playing Tales and had just made it to the Temple of Martel when the lighting struck frying my game, but past that I don't remember anything.

My eyes, slowly adjusting to the light, brought into focus a room, scratch that…a fucking huge room. I definitely wasn't home; my room was big, but not this big. Looking down I noticed I was in a warm huge bed, and I could smell that there was a fire place in the room. The crackling of the burning log alerted me to its location, and that's when I saw it…an exact replica of Aurion Kratos's Judgment Suit, and hanging next to that was the purple mercenary one…oh hell…whoevers house I was in, they were an over crazy fan of the merc…

I couldn't decide whether I was in Heaven or Hell…

I decided to lie back down; my arm was throbbing as was my head with all the thoughts running ragged through it. Where the hell was I, how did I get here, and…for the first time I'd noticed I was half naked…why was I stripped down to nothing! I started to panic, was I raped? Was I kidnapped? If so, who and why and oh god, oh god…

I really was starting to panic; my heart rate accelerating from the calm it was a few moments ago. There wasn't anyone in the room, but 'when would they be back? Was I in danger? Should I escape or try? How did my arm end up as mangled as it was?

I pulled the covers up my body as best I could to cover myself. Now all I could do was wait and pray that whoever had me wasn't going to kill me upon their return…' all these thoughts ran rampant through my mind, it racing and creating total and utter chaos within me.

**(Kratos's Point of View Kratos and Lloyden's House - Bathroom)**

I had just started to center myself once more, breathing in and out deeply, concentrating on the slow heartbeat upstairs when it picked up speed; it sent my own heart racing which I hadn't counted on. Realization now hit me, they were awake and by the feel of the overwhelming sense of fear emanating off their form, panic welling up, and chaotic confusion is where they found themselves in, I deduced that they were scared and feeling denial and despair.

I bolted, hoping that they were alright, and that I could somehow calm them down when I arrived. I was at the door in a moment, taking a breath, and then gently knocking on my own door. It felt weird knocking on my own bedroom door, but yes I did it to ensure my own, and her safety.

All I could do now was wait for permission to enter…

**(Airen's Point of View Kratos and Lloyden's House – Kratos's Bedroom)**

I was torn from my utter denial and panic when a knock sounded on the door. I was breathing heavy, and my voice was a trembling mess. I knew that from my gasp earlier. "Wh…Who's…there?" I tried to keep my voice level but failed at that miserably. I was shaking really bad, the panic I was feeling welling back up and tightening my throat. I waited on a response…when it came…I was not prepared for it…

"Hello, may I come in?" the voice was pleasant, calm, caring, and very familiar. My voice continued to shake as I responded "Yes" it was barely audible, I wasn't sure they heard but the door knob turned and the door was pushed in, so they must have heard. I was terrified of the person on the other side of that voice, and the door, because that's all that separated me from whoever it was on the other side. I grabbed my dagger off the bedside table; at least if they assaulted me I could defend myself with it…

When they walked in my throat pretty much closed in on itself, so I was unable to utter a word or syllable for that matter. All I could do was right now in this moment, was stare at the person entering the room I was in, my shock evident in my eyes, and realization soon taking hold…it couldn't be possible…there is no way…

My thoughts shattered as they entered the room, my mind blank for the first time tonight, absolutely nothing running through it, I gripped the dagger so hard my knuckles were white as I tried, and failed to keep my heart and breathing rates down…

**(Kratos's Point of View: His and Lloyden's house – Kratos's Bedroom)**

Slowly, cautiously, and trying to relax myself, I entered the room where my new ward was contained. I had placed the sword that replaced Flamberge back on the wall rack in my son's room so I wasn't a threat. Now I was glad I had, because I now feared that it would utterly terrify her. Her fear was high enough almost nauseating, overwhelming every sense until it was all that I could feel, hear, smell, and see.

I walked in slowly, keeping my senses alert, but making myself as unintimidating as possible. She was laying there, my blanket over her body. She hadn't moved, her clothes remained where they were folded and in a pile on the chair by the bed. However the dagger was missing from the bedside table where I left it.

My eyes narrowed a fraction, and then I spoke my voice low, calm, and commanding, instantly her eyes locked with my own cinnamon ones, the fear, chaos, and uncertainty evident in hers, and utter calm, Angel-of-Death, Four-Thousand-Year-Old Seraph who'd seen more death, destruction, and chaos that anyone should have to in their lifetime relayed in mine...

"I see you're awake" She merely nodded at me, her eyes shimmering with some unnamed emotion, realization almost… I spoke further, "I am known as Kratos, may I ask your name? I won't hurt you" Again she nodded, but her lips quivered and she attempted a response.

It was faint, but my angelic hearing kicked in and I could hear it as well as I could hear her answer when I asked for entrance into my own room. "I…I'm Ai...Airen Ak…Akuren…" she sputtered out, her voice an octave above a whisper. I could see her hand clench the dagger harder under the blankets; it only slightly concerned me, it being a threat, but not one that I could not disarm with ease, so I chose to continue to speak to her, ignoring the dagger for the moment.

"Miss Akuren, do you have any idea of how you got here?" my voice sounded through the silent room. She shook her head no then tried to speak again, this time her voice had become a bit stronger, shed gained confidence.

I outright told her I wouldn't hurt her, which was the truth for now, unless that dagger came into play, if that scenario played out in full, I could not guarantee I wouldn't. I was unsure she believed me, now I knew she did. Her innocence was astounding, complete and utter purity in her words…much like Martel, and…too much like...Anna…

My throat dried up at that realization and I had to swallow several times to be able to speak once more. "Miss Akuren" my voice sounded croaky, nothing like my normal tenor and grace, and for a brief moment I saw Anna, and then it was Miss Akuren. I watched her as she shook her head, confirming my thoughts that she wasn't from Symphonia. I gave her a chance to speak, hoping to shed some light on the darkness shrouding this mysterious young adult gracing mine and my son's home.

"I don't know where I am, or how I ended up here, where is here?" She looked confused and struggled to ask the right questions to dispel the darkness closing in on her. She was very facially expressive, much like my son when he was internalizing something. Quite comical, but my face betrayed nothing of what I was internally going through. A small smile flickered through my eyes before I blinked and forced my utter calm back into them.

Regardless of how calm I forced my features to look, I never forgot she had the dagger hidden under the blankets; I stayed out of range, knowing her left arm was all but useless and was recovering from the injuries I'd dealt to it from the death defying stunt Id pulled during the storm, therefore her staminal couldn't have recovered so she could leap and make an attempt on my life.

I figured she took it for self-defense, or that was the best explanation my sharp mind could come up with at the moment. Waking up in a strange place, in abed, half naked and not knowing anything would make my skin crawl and my mind to run a mile a minute. I'd have grabbed the dagger as well…I couldn't blame her there. Self-preservation, the girl had a brain, which I had lacked the night I saved her from her death, where my life could have been lost.

Several different scenarios and outcomes to this situation had already been run through my mind, and there was only one that I didn't want to play out… the one where she attacked me, and I was forced into taking another life, another life's blood on my hands and sword...that was my greatest fear…another Anna…

**(Airen's Point of View – Kratos and Lloyden's House – Kratos's Bedroom)**

I couldn't believe it; **THE** Aurion Kratos was here in the flesh, speaking to me. I couldn't do anything other than nod and then try to answer his questions. The man was terrifying in real life, yet he was just as gorgeous, if not more gorgeous than in both the **OVA** and the **GAME**. I had to constantly swallow so I wouldn't drool. There was so much I needed to know, but I had no idea where to start, let along how the hell I landed in Symphonia of all places.

I realized after listening to the Seraph himself speak, that he held the same voice as Cam Clarke here. Impossible yet here I was conversing with Aurion Kratos. He was in a Black Silk Shirt, a dark pair of pants and the shirt was unbuttoned giving me enticing views of the tank underneath and the muscles rippling under the skin. God I was going to drool, _'He's going to think I was weird, he doesn't even know me and I'm drooling like a fool here._' I thought to myself, trying all the while to keep myself in check and under control.

When I was able to speak again, I decided to see if my deductions were right, proving to myself that I wasn't going insane. Taking a deep calming breath I forged on "You said your name was Kratos right?" I asked with a bit of caution, not sure of how he would respond. He simply nodded, making a sigh of relief run through my body but not be relayed on my features. However, his eyes never changed from their ice cold glare, no trace of emotion were revealed in their depths.

I continued on, now on a new level of alert because I was pushing into territory in which the wrong combination of words spelled my death, though dying by Aurion Kratos wouldn't be so bad. At least that's what I thought in my mind at the time.

"You wouldn't happen to be…Aurion….Kratos, father of Aurion-Irving-Lloyden, and husband to the Late Aurion Anna, four thousand year old Seraph, and former companion to Yggdrasill Mithos, Yggdrasill Martel, and Ka-Fai Yuan, would you?" I knew I was pushing the lines a bit hard but I needed an answer and I needed one now.

I was hopeful that my questions would be answered, but also knowing in the back of my head, death was a real factor here, and if I slipped up, and he didn't kill me, there were plenty of others who would be quite willing to lop my head off.

He spoke, surprising me, his voice was harsh, his tone, the ice cold one of the traitor in the game. "Before I answer anything you have to ask, hand me the dagger you're hiding under the blanket" His eyes never wavered off my eyes, their expression icy and unforgiving, and the eyes of the four-thousand-year-old Angel of Death that he was.

Even though his wings were not out and he had neither the Judgment outfit, nor the merc one on, that's all I could see and it scared the hell out of me, causing me to grasp the dagger under the blankets even tighter if that was even possible. As I processed his request, I found myself awed by the man who was currently threatening my well-being.

I was amazed he could pick up such a detail standing that far away, yet it wasn't shocking, he'd seen it all in his lifetime, so of course spotting threats like the dagger I had hidden under the blanket would have come as second nature to him. I nodded, meeting his eyes as I pulled out the dagger from under the blanket covering my body. He walked towards me, slowly, extending his hand towards me. I placed the dagger in his hand, unsure of what was to come.

I was caught off guard in the next moments, in which I found myself at the end of my own dagger.

"How do you know me, who are you!" he hissed, his voice holding an icy dangerous edge. I had no answer; I couldn't just tell him he was a character in a game that I owned back in my own time. That wasn't believable at all. He wouldn't know what a "_game disc"_ was, or a "_Wii"_, nor would he know where "Earth" was. Maybe if I told him that it was a parallel world to this one, one that didn't vie for mana, and was like Tethe'alla at one point. At least that was my guess as to how I landed here.

The blade at my neck inched closer and I swallowed before taking a breath and telling him what I knew. "First, before I start telling you anything, did you find anything on me? Like a possession or item?" He simply nodded the blade lowered and he walked to the desk. He came back with my black notebook, the one where I'd embedded my strategy guide within its pages. I proceeded to tell him, about how I knew who he was, and everything about the game right up to the regeneration and reunification of the worlds. He seemed in disbelief, not a good thing for me.

The blade was back at my neck, his eyes cold, burning embers, piercing me all the way to my soul, holding me captive within his gaze. I "If you don't believe me, Aurion Kratos, please look at this book I'm holding; then make a decision based on what you discover within" He nodded, thank god he was a man of reason, and not of rash decisions; rushing into a situation before analyzing it, and coming up with a plan of action.

His son on the other hand I wasn't quite sure, I never remembered Lloyden being the type to be a strategist nor very knowledgeable. The strategists were any other member of the team, excluding the former Sylveranti Chosen, Miss Brunel Colette.

He took the book, looking at each page, scanning over each with his sharp eyes for details. When he reached the end his eyes were wide. "Even though this…depicts everything that I've ever done or my "companions" have ever done up to the regeneration and reunification, I still don't know you nor can I trust you."

He closed the book at that point, and the blade of my own dagger resumed its position mere inches away from my neck. "I can tell you what you told Kvar in Iselia's Human Ranch the day you and Lloyden killed him!" I all but shouted.

I was praying that this would catch his attention stopping him from murdering me right here and now, seeing that Kvar was the reason Aurion Anna was deceased due to his removal of the Exsphere that was embedded in her, the reason his son grew up without him for fourteen years….the reason he became the perfect pawn for Mithos, and the reason he returned to Cruxis and resumed his role as the Angel of Death…

Fury flashed in his eyes, before they turned to a perplexed look, and nodded for me to continue. I took a breath, and then recited my all-time favorite game lines_. "Feel the Pain, of those Inferior Beings, As you Burn In Hell"_ He nodded but again spoke "Before I lower this" he gestured to the dagger at my neck "recite to me my Judgment and Ka-Fai Yuan's Indignation spells chants" I gulped, closing my eyes to bring up Yuan's lines, and having a bit of trouble.

"I'll start with yours if that's alright?" He nodded and I took a breath _"Sacred Powers Cast Your Purifying Light Upon This Corrupt Soul, Rest In Peace Sinners: Judgment!" _I finished that spell then went right into the other one, remembering it at the last moments of time that I had to, from the **OVA** no less. _"I Call Upon Thee In The Land Of The Dead, To Unleash Thy Fury of Thunder, Come Forth Divine Lightning: Indignation!" _I finished nearly shouting the spell. Somewhere in my mind, I was hoping the spells would take their own life, but as they were not mine, and each spell was a different chant for each caster it wouldn't be. Yes, I was slightly disappointed…

He said nothing but the dagger dropped from my throat, and it was slid away but I didn't see where, I guessed securely in a sheath. The dagger safely away from my hands, he silently turned to leave, I still couldn't read him though. I guess he needed to think. After watching his form retreat out the door and down the hall, I released the sigh I'd been holding. No doubt he could hear it though…damn his angelic hearing. All I could do was await his return, and pray he didn't decided to kill me for being way too knowledgeable for my own good.

He returned moments later an article of clothing draped over his arm. "You're going to need to be decent to be presented to the rest of my family" I nodded dumbly, not sure what he meant at first. Then it hit me…he was going to introduce me to Lloyden…'oh Martel help me!' were my only thoughts. His voice cut me out of my panic, and stress. "I know you're hurt and partially it's my fault, but I'd like to help you dress if you need help." I nodded again, and he approached.

In his hand was a black silk nightgown, a slit up both sides of the lower part of the gown, mid-thigh high, and spaghetti straps adorning the shoulders. It was a rather a simple design and a bit revealing but I had no complaints, he was being courteous. "You can wear this for the time being, it was Anna's" his voice soft, full of remorse. My eyes widened, Anna Aurion, his late wife…how could I ever live up to her legacy? My heart sank, knowing he was in pain the way he was, and now I was going to be wearing her clothes…

I started to speak my mind unsure of whether I really should be putting on his late wife's clothing "Mr. Aurion is this…alright... I mean…" he cut me off, his voice very soft "It is quite fine, Anna never had the chance...to wear it…" That's when I noticed the article of clothing had the tag on it still. I nodded, still unsure of whether he was okay with this or not, but in the next moment he was at my side, the tag had been cut off the gown and now lay on the floor forgotten, -almost-, his arm sliding behind my back, the silk of his sleeve making me shiver.

As he helped me sit up in bed, slipping the silky material over my head, I attempted to help him, but when I moved my arm the wrong way, I winced, and moments later, I felt his breath on my bare arm as he whispered "_first-aid". _The next words he spoke forced the blood to drain from my face, leaving me pale and unresponsive vocally. "I'm going to relocate your arm, it will not be without pain, but the moment I finish, I will ease it" I nodded, knowing that if I tried to speak nothing would exit my mouth.

He placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling my body against his, and then counted down, I braced myself. "One, Two, Three…" he put pressure on my arm and shoulder and I felt the pop, felt the pain but refused to allow myself to make a sound. "First Aid" he whispered as soon as it was over, and I relaxed under his grip. The pain numbed to a dull ache, and I could resume moving my arm, it being relocated hurt like a bitch but I was proud of myself for not crying out. 'Damn he would make a damn fine healer, he's attentive and thorough' As I stretched my arms, which stretched my spine, to allow the gown to fall over my shoulders I winced, pain flashing across my features, a whimper escaping my lips.

His face held a concerned expression as he gently rolled me onto my stomach, the gown lay forgotten on the floor, lying where he'd thrown it after removing it from my body. He then proceeded to run his fingers down my spine, tracing each vertebrae looking for the problem with gentle probing fingers, but this intimate contact, or intimate in my view elicited a shiver to run through me, even though he was just looking for the problem the only way he knew how.

Kratos continued his path down my spine till he reached the base near the small of my back. I winced; bit my lip so hard blood flowed to stop myself from crying out, the pain so intense it knocked the wind from my lungs, I couldn't say thank you if I wanted to, hell I could hardly breathe at the moment.

He noticed the blood trickling down my face from the puncture wound I'd created on my lip, and another first aid was administered to my battered pierced lip. He then returned focus back to my spine, concentrating. I felt the warm wash of a spell and heard "healing stream" my whole body relaxed, the pain fading.

I stayed quiet as he quickly finished clothing me, retrieving the forgotten article of clothing, and even though he was quick going about clothing my form, he was extremely gentle, his hands warm and soothing, slightly callused as they brushed my skin. He then gently lifted me into his arms, careful of my arm and headed out the door and down the hall, where was he taking me now, oh that's right he said…I must have paled visibly, because his eyes were on me in an instant.

That's when I remembered that he said he was going to introduce _me_ to _his_ family…which only meant one person…Aurion Irving Lloyden, Eternal Swordsman, and the holder of half a pact with _Origin the King of Summon Spirits_…I gulped, this was going to be the most intense day of my life…

When we arrived at the stairs his wings slithered out of the confines in his back, he flapped them once, the noise which I thought would be as a birds wings sounded, were absolutely silent, not a single sound that they'd even moved, in the next moment we were hovering, and then making our decent down the stairs.

When I looked over his shoulder as we were descending, his wings state shocked me, no longer the ethereal translucent blue they were in the game, and they were solid, beautiful feathers that ran down the bones and ending in tips of ethereal, translucent blue feathers that I'd come to love in the game. His wings nearly touched the ground folded and I when he extended them to flap to keep us airborne, they were close to ten feet wide…

After gently touching down, I heard the rustle of his wings slithering back inside him, hidden from all eyes. However, what caught my eye was that he had set his teeth, a flicker of pain flashing in his eyes and his features before it was hidden again. His icy exterior took over almost as soon as he realized he was grimacing, leaving almost no trace of any trace of what he was feeling only second prior left lingering in his eyes, or on his face.

Other than the knowledge that I held that I had saw the proof that the Angel of Death, four thousand year old Seraph was experiencing something unpleasant , and I knew it happened, Aurion Kratos looked as normal as he ever had, at least in my experience of the man. However, the game, **OVA**, and the **Official Tales of Symphonia Strategy Guide** being all the knowledge base I had to go off of.

It was then when it clicked in my mind that this was real, not the game or the animation that I love. I was face to face with Aurion Kratos, in the world of Symphonia, in his and Lloyden's home, and I knew much more than the average Symphonian would about the key players and events involved with and leading up to the Regeneration and Reunification of the worlds, however I wasn't from Symphonia to speak.

My knowledge of Angel's wasn't that extensive, but I knew one thing about them, and it left me questioning whether my knowledge was right or if the game programmers led the players to believe these things about Angels and that wasn't the truth. I started to wonder if they knew that Symphonia was real, and they based their game off of knowledge the people on earth weren't privileged enough to be let in on.

Either way I was pretty positive that the process of becoming an angel took certain aspects of a human life away, such as Colette experienced during her journey…and it left me with one lingering question burning at the back of my mind and throat, but I being too lost in thought to notice, and my voice pretty much useless, so much so the question died in my throat.

_'Angel's couldn't feel pain…so why was he in such agony….'_

I had no time to ponder this; all I could do was stare up at the stoic face of the Seraph who was currently carrying me. He didn't even look down, so I couldn't read his face, not that I'd be able to anyway.

Shortly after my initial discovery that Aurion Kratos was experiencing pain again, we made it to the living room. Once we had entered and I looked around the room I came face to face with Aurion Irving Lloyden, we locked eyes for a moment before I turned my head to further examine the room.

What I had not thought of in advance was the possibility of meeting Brunel Colette, and I was not expecting to lock eyes with the former Sylverant Chosen as well…I promptly fainted in Kratos's arms, my head slumping on his shoulder, my mind even though unconscious, racing, confused, and trying to process way to much information that it was able to at one time.

What would happen to me now? I was once again defenseless in the arms of an Angel of Death, my savior or so I had just so recently learned. I had no idea what was to come but for now, I was safe for the time being in my guardian's Seraph's arms.

**(Kratos's Point of View – The Living Room with Aurion-Irving-Lloyden, Brunel Colette, Noishe and an unconscious Airen in his arms)**

I felt her head slump against my shoulder, and noted she'd fainted in the process of "meeting" my family. My sons face was filled with wonder and questions, contorting with the information internalization occurring in his brain. To this I smirked, I could afford to when I was around him. I was still in possession of her dagger, it securely in its sheath, on my wall rack in my sons room. When my son finally spoke, I groaned for it was the start of the Q & A session I had been dreading since I brought Miss Akuren into my house.

Lloyden only asked one question verbally but the rest were shimmering in his eyes just beneath the surface and I was compelled to answer each and every one, no matter how painful or drawn out it would be. I braced myself, knowing that I was in for a very long drawn out question answer conversation in which every answer would be squeezed out of me in precisely asked questions and being a "father" now I couldn't say no…

After the first question the others raced out of his mouth like a flood gate had been opened, each one in rapid succession of the others and seeming to never end. _"Dad who's this, where'd they come from why are they here, what are you doing holding them, when did they get here, how long have they been here, what's their name, how old are they, dad, dad, dad!"_ I lost my patience, my sensitive ears ringing with his over excited tone, and starting to give me a migraine.

"**LLOYDEN**, I WILL EXPLAIN EVERY ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS MY SON, PLEASE CALM DOWN, CHECK YOUR EXCITEMENT, AND SETTLE IN FOR A STORY MY SON" I all but shouted, my tone a bit harsh and volume excessive but it was needed, for it caught and held my sons attention span and he instantly shut up leaving nothing but silence in the room. Miss Brunel watching the whole thing chose to stay quiet like a mouse, and leaned into Lloyden, for comfort, knowing it best not to test me at the moment.

In my moment of being a "father" to my son I almost dropped Miss Akuren, I felt her slide out of my arms before I clutched onto her form a bit tighter, hauling her against my chest, and letting out a sigh of relief. I settled into a chair, holding my ward to me, and getting comfortable. Her head still rested on my shoulder, her breathing had evened out again, and I could feel her heart beat through the material of her clothes, beating strongly against my chest. She was healing remarkably fast for someone who was half dead less than twenty-four hours ago.

I found myself gazing down upon her, the porcelain skin of her face, and feeling the weight of their body, the warmth emanating off her. Again, something I'd have to get used to, feeling the warmth of another being, even my own skin felt cold to the touch, or it had for as long as I can remember after becoming an Angel. Now I wasn't sure if I was warm, cold, or indifferent to anything I had been.

I called to my son "Lloyden"; this snapped his head out of the mini battle of his thoughts within his head. His face still contorting and re-contorting as he figured one thing out and then another confusing thought entered. "Now that you are calm, what questions do you have for me" I said calmly to him, my anger all but gone. He nodded once, and then looked for a good place to start.

"Dad who is that?" he questioned, his eyes filled with wonder, and then clouding over with confusion as he realized that he'd never seen anyone like her at all around the area. "I saved her from falling out of the sky during the storm last night, son" my words carefully chosen and stated to bring him further into our conversation, without giving too much information away.

_It worked like a charm_

"You went out into the storm last night?" his voice was worrisome. My son was growing up and taking on the responsibilities of caring for another's well-being other than his own. I only had Miss Brunel to thank for that. "Yes, Lloyden I did go out into the storm, and if I hadn't this one, I looked down at the unconscious in my arms then back up at my son. Would not have made it, and plummeted to her death, or had been struck by lightning and died before she crashed to the ground" He gaped at me, his face making an "O" shape. Again his eyes took on a childish wonder look in them and I knew I was in for another round of battering questions.

It was only mere moments of silence before he questioned me again "_DAD_, what's her name?" I answered almost too quickly and it took me by surprise as well as him. "Her name is Akuren Airen, and her tale is one better suited for her to tell, and not for right now." I finished quietly, and he nodded his approval.

"Mr. Kratos?" a soft, angelic voice spoke up softly, it reaching my ears easily however. "Yes, Miss Brunel?" I answered my future daughter-in-law. "Could you teach me how to cook soup?" I nodded and motioned for my son to come and take the unconscious in my arms, which he did and I was surprised that he was capable of being so calm in a situation where the facts surrounding the person he was taking into his care were so shrouded in mystery that his life could be on the line. Once I had handed him her body and he was seated did I notion with a turn of my head for Miss Brunel to follow and together we entered the kitchen to make soup.

I showed Miss Brunel how to prepare the ingredients for the soup of her choice "Chicken Noodle" chopping the vegetables, and chunks of chicken, and then showed her how to put all the ingredients into the pot and then season it properly, bring it to a boil, bring down to a simmer and then when the veggies were cooked through and the Chicken was done, how to place the bowls on the saucers, and then dish the soup into the bowls. She seemed to lean fairly quickly, quite a change from her normally klutzy ways.

I gathered spoons and crackers, laying them down next to the bowls and quietly made my exit. I was sure she could handle the serving of the meal. I took my leave, taking my ward from my son and moving to a solitary chair across the room, so my son and his fiancé could share the couch.

Moments later she entered the room carrying two bowls of soup, two spoons, and a package of crackers with her. I had never seen her so, stable and not klutzy in all my life. I spoke too soon, for she tripped on nothing and the bowl, crackers and spoons went flying, as did she.

A burst of light hit my eyes momentarily blinding me. When it had settle and dissipated, my son had one arm around her, holding her upright, his wings had been the source of the bright blinding light, as they were fully expanded, the bowls and saucers balanced delicately on the tip of one wing while the other was half folded, and on the inside curve of its tip lay the crackers.

The spoons however, were still airborne, and descending rapidly towards them. I had to do something, and I couldn't just jump and grab it out of mid-air with Miss Akuren occupying my arms and lap.

It was now or never, secret or not, a flying projectile's impaling either of them was not going to happen on my watch… not ever. I leaned forward, bit down hard on my lip with my incisors as I concentrated the mana points on my back, unleashing my wings, wincing in discomfort at the pain of feeling them unfurl, or, rather, burst from its confines as the pain I was expecting radiated from the two points on my back.

It wasn't a blood-bath like in the bathroom, for that I was grateful for but it was still as uncomfortable as hell and I was sure my shirt was ripped and the jagged holes in my back were steadily bleeding as well as the blood that coated my now fully released wings. 'Damn, I really liked that shirt too'…Anna would kill me if she knew this was how it met its premature demise.

None of that mattered right now in this moment; I stretched one wing out, blocking the path of the flying spoons, curling the other around Airen's still form in my arms to protect her from any form of harm. I then stiffened as the spoons impaled through the feathers, cutting through muscle and embedding in the bone of my wing.

Both my sons and Miss Brunel's eyes were wide, Lloyden's hand falling to his sword secured on his hip. I looked to where the spoons was impaling my wing and sighed in relief that neither were hurt, then looked down to see if my sudden movements had awoken Miss Akuren. She was groggy, just waking up again and thankfully she hadn't come-to fully.

The next moment time seemed to stop; I had a blade pressed to my throat, the bowls of soup lay forgotten on a couch-side table growing cold, Lloyden demanding to know who the hell I was and what I'd done with the "real" Aurion Kratos or dad to him, as blood was steadily seeping from the holes the spoons had created in my wing…

It dropped right onto Miss Akuren's forehead, causing her eyes jolt open at the sudden wetness that had invaded her personal space.

She reached up, touching the spots gently, and then brought it to her face to examine what the liquid was. Her eyes slightly widened, then she looked up at me, and they really widened. Obviously the sword at my throat didn't help, because it was also inches from her face.

"Lloyden, please lower the sword" I said quietly, trying to not aggravate the situation any further than it was at this moment in time.

"Who are you, and where is my father?" his voice was tight, angry much angrier than I'd ever heard it, laced with a touch of…malice?

Aurion Lloyden, lower that sword now…" my voice icy¸cold, hard and responding to his malice with my own venom injecting itself into my words.

My patience had run thin, a threat to **MY** ward was not acceptable, and I would not have my own son threatening me in my own house no matter what the situation was.

He didn't let up, his sword inched a bit forward, and he pulled Colette to him, wrapping a wing around her like I had Airen. "Explain to me who you are!" his voice still demanding and I was about done with his ignorance.

"Aurion Lloyden, you are my son as much as I am your father, lower the sword from myself and my ward and we can talk, if you do not…I will forcefully make you lower it." I clenched my teeth, staring him down, pinning him with the cold, hard, icy eyes of Aurion Kratos the Seraph.

"Tell me who you are!" He was growing more and more impatient as the seconds ticked by.

I on the other hand, was trying to keep my ward from harm at my own son's hands.

"Lloyd, please lower your sword, even if it isn't your father, that woman is still in his arms you could hurt her, she's innocent, and has nothing to do with this, Lloyd please!" Colette's voice pierced the tense silence that had settled between us.

Her voice trembled, I was sure she was as terrified for Lloyds safety, as well as Miss Akuren's. She knew that I could _kill _everyone in the room with one spell if I really wanted to, regardless of whether they were family or not. I was the _Angel of Death_ after all, and I could be no less than that.

Even my mercy had its limitations, as did my patience, and right now that mercy was losing, patience was hanging onto my sanity by thread and I was giving into the temptation of blood lust.

I could feel my control slipping, my mind going into a haze, my eyes focusing in on the threat to my well-being, and whoever was under my protection, and right now that was Miss Akuren.

Miss Brunel was under my sons and if I made one move I knew that his patience with me would run out and I'd be run through with my own sword, _Flamberge_, which I'd given him to create the Material Blade.

I let myself give into the _Angel of Death_ prowess, a low, feral snarl building in my throat, my eyes narrowing to slits. I could feel myself gripping Miss Akuren's form tighter to me, my wings curling around her form further, protecting her from the blade that was mere inches from her head and my throat.

If it came down to it I would die protecting her, because I'd put her under my protection by allowing her to become my ward.

Airen's hand had been creeping up my shirt, then rest at my neck, the tips of her pointer and index fingers resting over my carotid artery, right directly over my pulse. I was sure she could feel that it was pounding, and I allowed myself to relax, willing my pounding heart to a slower pace.

Her hand then slid up to briefly cup my face in her small palm, before moving her fingers to brush the blood that was trickling down my chin away. Her hands so gentle I almost allowed myself to get carried away by them but Miss Brunel's voice brought me out of my delusional state, and I felt Miss Akuren's hand fall away from my face, resting palm side down once again on my chest, over my heart. I could feel the warmth of her palm through the silk of the shirt, and it helped me keep my priorities in check.

"Lloyd!" I could hear Miss Brunel say again, the fear still quite evident in her voice.

"He's your father what are you doing!"

"Don't you see Colette; his wings aren't the ones _my father_ had when he showed us at the tower of salvation! They're different, it can't be him, he may look like dad but he's not dad!" he exclaimed.

I again found myself wondering where he got his "amazing" intellect from because it obviously wasn't from mine or Anna's sides of the family…

It hit me then where it came from, his horrible reasoning skills, his lack of being able to strategize, his inability to survey a situation and act accordingly to it…it all made sense, **Irving Dirk** was the problem…

I seethed at this point, biting down on my already injured lip, forcing more blood to drip down my face, and inevitably onto Miss Akuren who was just getting over the fact that the blood wouldn't stop flowing from my lip or wings until it either clotted, or a healing spell was cast.

She sat there in my arms a worried expression on her face, her body being wracked with tremors as she sat trapped in a situation that she had no part of.

"Lloyden, please for everyone safety, lower your weapon" I stated in a calmer tone.

The realization that miss Akuren still lay trapped by my son, was a factor as to why I was still able to speak coherently and act with a head on my shoulders; and not running in blind like someone I know. Airen's abilities to calm me astounded me, no one but…Anna…could ever bring me down from the level I was at a few moments ago.

A few more tense seconds passed, Lloyden never flinching and Flamberge's blade never lowering from my neck. It was a stalemate, my son and mines wills were evenly matched and neither of us willing to back down for fear of the one we were protecting.

A bright light then hit the room suddenly; leaking out of the Exsphere that was my late wife's and now resided in my son's key crest. The light was so intense, even with my wings blocking most of it I still couldn't see against it.

The next moments would forever define what fate had in store for me.

I heard Lloyden shout "whoa", saw him jump a foot in the air, then hovering because his wings were out from the previous engagement, he'd grabbed onto miss Brunel and was holding her against him, his wings poised to meet any oncoming threat.

I breathed a sigh of relief; the light had forced my former blade away from my neck, and Airen's head. I could feel her hands clutching my shoulders, her frame shaking, and saw her eyes misty with tears.

She was blinking hard to send the saline away where it threatened to spill from her eyes. Fatherly instinct guiding me, I hesitantly wrapped an arm around her backside, pulling her closer to me, and trying my best to soothe the frightened girl in my arms.

Meanwhile, the light had dissipated; there in the room was the astral form of my late wife. She was like a hologram in my son's exsphere that had removed itself from his key crest and was hovering in the air between us. She looked at me, a smile on her face, in her eyes. I felt my heart speed up.

"Anna…" I breathed, my entire being focused in on the form of my late wife

She however, turned to our son who was still in shock, breathing heavily and his mouth agape.

When she spoke to him he all but fainted, and almost dropped Miss Brunel, except shed pulled out her wings and was now hovering beside him, minus his arm around her.

"_Lloyden my son, it has been a long time"_ she smiled at him her voice warm and kind.

"M...Mom…" he stuttered out, unable to tear his gaze from her astral form for very long.

_"Lloyden, I know it is very hard to comprehend, or understand, but this man, even though his features have changed since he came down to earth from Cruxis and saved me that day, is the same man that you had your blade pointed at. He is your father regardless of how he has changed, and you owe him an apology my son, regardless of whether you think you were right or wrong"_

Lloyden turned to me, and bowed, as the words that were needed to be said slipped from his lips…

"Forgive me _DAD_, it was wrong of me, I'll never do it again, please don't leave me again" his pain evident in his tone, his love for me even more so.

I could tell his apology was genuine and that he really didn't want me to leave him again, which I wouldn't but I feel that was, and currently is his greatest fear. '_I won't abandon you ever again my son, I promise' _I vowed to myself.

Anna turned to me, and then spoke. Miss Akuren had promptly fainted again upon laying eyes on my late wife, understandable when you aren't from Symphonia, and aren't used to the dead returning from a stone on someone's hand and taking.

"Kratos my love it has been a very long time"

I merely nodded, unable to answer her for my words were strangling me so to speak.

"I know you have been very lonely since my death, I am sorry for leaving you¸ and if I could have been regenerated I would have returned to you, but my soul had no body to return to, and therefore I could not. I've been watching you from inside the exsphere, seeing your struggles, your life with our son, and the adaptations you've made to make living easier on the both of you."

I nodded, still unable to speak, but wanting to give her the signal that I understood.

_"I know that you saved the girl in your arms, and I know you risked your life to save her, but what you don't know, is that I am the reason Miss Akuren here." _

My eyes widened and Lloyden choked in the background.

I managed to swallow the lump that had accumulated in my throat, allowing me to speak for the first time since my late wife's arrival. "Anna you mean to tell me that you're the reason she fell out of the sky and nearly died?" my anger was rising at her; I was upset that she'd allow for anyone to be hurt.

_Kratos, before you bite my head off, I want to let you know that I only had the power to bring someone here, and I had no control over how they would arrive, I am sorry, and you know I'd never allow anyone innocent to get hurt" _

I responded to her "I am sorry Anna; forgive me for jumping to conclusions without attaining both sides of the story." I had pulled an Aurion Lloyden…something I was bound and set to never repeat…

_"Kratos, what I wanted to tell you before I fade, is that I brought this girl here for you, and no I don't know if she can be returned to her world, so regardless of whether you two have a future or you don't here in Symphonia, I highly doubt she can return to where she came from." _

My mouth dropped a bit before I realized that my skin would split, and the blood would return, so I opted to for wiping my face of the blood, the shirt wouldn't show it, and was already a ripped mess so I guess it wouldn't hurt After wiping all the blood off myself I pondered Anna's words earlier, but never taking my eyes off my late wife.

'Anna had brought Miss Akuren from her home on Earth I think she called it, for me? Why would she do that, take her away from her family all to make sure I wasn't suffering.' I didn't understand, I couldn't understand…'why would she do this…' It was only Anna who saw my discomfort despite my best attempts to keep my eyes as unexpressive as possible, and my face emotionless.

_"Kratos, I chose this girl, because she out of all the ones I looked into transporting here knew who you were, understood, had sympathy, and still loved you even when you played traitor and took his current fiancé to become Martel's host. Even after all that, she still continued to love you, and when she had the choice to choose you or the Tethe' alla chosen she chose you to return to her party. The game discs that depict our lives here in Symphonia before the worlds were reunited, came out in the year two thousand and four in her world, and it is currently the year two thousand thirteen, month six, day twenty-nine, and hour eleven-fifteen pm meaning night time. She has loved you since her first play through the game in two thousand and four, since she ran into your character at the Temple of Martel. This girl is so devoted to you, doesn't care where or what you've done in your past, no matter how bloody the deed. This girl cares for you and that is why I chose her to heal you…"_

I was speechless, Anna was here in astral form, who'd just explained it all to me, clarified every bit of confusion that surrounded the girl named Akuren Airen, who'd I longed to hold or even to speak to since her untimely death, and I was unable to even thank her, unable to conjure anything out of my lips, words, emotions, everything I was feeling had lodged in my throat, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get the lump to move from blocking my words. All I could do was helplessly look on, look on at my beautiful, dead wife…my beautiful Anna…

_"I don't have much time my love, I used up almost everything I had to come to you in this moment, and now I will fade from existence, This is my gift to you my love, please never forget me…I will always love you and watch over you from Heaven, be happy Kratos, farewell" _

I reached out in that moment, using everything I had to at least get something out of my throat to her, not wanting her to leave me alone again, that was the cruelest thing that fate could have ever done to me…

"Anna!" I screamed, helplessly watching as her form faded and Lloyden's exsphere rejoined with his key crest. She was gone, and again it was the four of us in the room, complete silence engulfing all occupants within.

Remembering Anna's words, I looked down to find Miss Akuren had awoken sometime in the previous minutes. I looked into her eyes, she looked as amazed as I did, and I could see that she was finding the truth of the situation we now found ourselves in, a bit hard to swallow.

Miss Akuren was the person that Anna had hand-picked to save me…but could I open my heart again, after twenty- one years of not allowing myself to as much look at another woman the way I looked at Anna back then.

Anna's revelation revealed the truth behind Miss Akuren's arrival here in Symphonia and the shroud of darkness surrounding her seemed to dissipate, however not all was well.

She looked as though shed seen a ghost, which she had, but I don't think it was from seeing Anna. I believe that it was because she heard Anna tell me that there was a good chance that she'd never be able to return home.

I looked down at Miss Akuren, lowering my face down to her ear whispering quietly and gently to her

"We will figure this out; I promise you I will protect you with my life Miss Akuren. If you'll give me a chance, I'll give you one, please don't give up hope, we will get through this"

With my words, her hands gripped onto my shoulders tighter, and I closed my wings around us for a bit of privacy, blocking both Lloyden and Miss Brunel's view of us.

I held her to me gently, fearing she would break with the slightest ripple of an upset, providing her what protection I could. She responded by laying her head on my shoulder, and snuggling closer to me, to the warmth that I now provided. I pressed my lips to her forehead in a quick kiss, one of reassurance and not anything more, praying I was relaying the right things and not seeming like I was making any advances on her.

I felt her tears on my shirt, warm, wet, crystal saline drops falling from her eyes; and she made no attempt to hide them, just buried her face into my chest and sobbed as the reality of the entire situation hitting her like a ton of bricks, and all she could do was let it out before it crushed her.

The words were more for her than myself, but I was fearing the worst, and Anna's words would haunt her for a long time, especially if she became trapped here and things didn't work out between us…

I could have sworn that I felt Anna's arms go around my shoulders, her lips placing a gentle kiss directly on my neck over my spine, I knew her physical body was gone, was I imagining it…

I prayed that Airen would be alright, because I'd seen despair, and I knew what it looked like when someone gave up hope, and in every case, the outcome was the same…death…

**Aurion Kratos:** "Anna…"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** "Mom…"

**Aurion Anna:** "Kratos, you ripped the shirt I bought you for your birthday all those years ago"

**Aurion Kratos:** "Anna, I just dug this out of our son's closet…it seems he confiscated it…" "Just wait till you see his room…"

**Aurion Anna:** "Aurion-Irving-Lloyden!

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** Yes…mom *laughs uneasily, his hand rubbing the back of his head*

**Aurion Anna:** "Go up to your room and clean it this instant young man"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** Ugh, but mom…" *goes up to his room, and when he enters find the pile of shit his father left for him that is currently blocking off all access to his closet* _"DAD!"_

**Aurion Kratos****: **"Yes **_my_** son?"

**Aurion-Irving-Lloyden:** did you do this…"

**Aurion Kratos:** "Yes my son, you are a pack rat, and that is **not** the **Aurion**way"

**Irving Dirk:** "But it's the Dwarven way! Ha-ha" "no muss no fuss"

**Aurion Kratos:** *Seethes* _"Noishe…Yuan…"_

**Noishe:** *Bares Fangs and Snarls at Dirk*

**Ka-Fai Yuan:** *closes his eyes in mock concentration and starts chanting, but putting no mana behind it* _"I Call Upon Thee In The Land of The Dead, To Unleash Thy Fury Of Thunder, Come Forth, Divine Lightning!"_ *Doesn't call out the spell name, to finish the spell*

**Irving Dirk:** "I be leavin now" *sweating as he darts off as fast as his little Dwarven legs will carry him"

**Aurion Kratos:** "I will not allow you to corrupt**_ MY_** son any further Irving Dirk the Dwarf…"

**The Akuren Princess:** Okay that's a wrap, good job everyone, that was a rather gruesome chapter if I must say so, but I was impressed with myself for the details I put into. I hope you enjoyed it **PLEASE REVIEW**! Ja Ne!


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